AFAM 207N –
Jazz and the African American Experience
The history and evolution of jazz is a significant cultural manifestation of the African American experience. The music and its artists provide a lens through which to examine questions surrounding the African American experience and what it means to be Black in America, engaging with questions about identity, authenticity, freedom, activism, gender, and sexuality, as well as the role of music in African American life.
Drawing upon curricular elements from MUSIC 7, Evolution of Jazz, and AFAM 100, Living While Black: Themes in African American Thought and Experience, this course traces the history of jazz through an examination of the lives and art of thirty great jazz artists, juxtaposed with an examination of seminal writings of twenty African American poets, playwrights, novelists, critics, activists, philosophers, and scholars.
Preliminary objectives will include basic musical information associated with tonality and with jazz. The main objectives of the course are: to explore the antecedents of jazz and the social-historical contexts in which they developed; to explore the pioneering artistry of selected twentieth-century jazz musicians, tracing the evolution of jazz styles in the process; to delve into the lives of these jazz artists and the social-historical contexts in which they lived; to explore the writings of historically contemporary African Americans, which articulate many of the major issues that have shaped black life in America; to enhance appreciation for the art of jazz and for the musical and literary contributions of African Americans; to encourage reflection, empathy, and a greater understanding of the cultural-historical circumstances that have informed the lives and art of African Americans.
The narrowing of scope allows for a more detailed examination of the selected jazz artists, their music, and their lives. Similarly, the selected writings will allow students to reflect on the relationships and connections between these writings and the artistry and life experiences of the selected jazz artists.
These objectives will be met by utilizing an interactive, multimedia online curriculum, including demonstration videos, a virtual keyboard, music notation files (e.g., Sibelius), audio recordings, audio-video recordings, selected readings, open forums, and discussion boards. Evaluation methods will include quizzes, tests, open forums, discussion boards, and reflection papers.
Students will receive GA and GS credit for this course, as well as US designation. The course will not satisfy any requirements for the major or minor in music. All pieces, excerpts, examples, videos, and texts will be made available to students online.