The History of Jazz

Class Description

Born in the dance halls and bordellos of fin de siècle New Orleans, jazz evolved into a major American art form. The evolution of jazz was led by an extraordinary series of African-American virtuoso musicians often dealing with Jim Crow and personal demons, as well as the music. The major advances in the music tended to occur in different urban settings at different points in time—1900-1920 New Orleans, 20’s Chicago, late 20’s – early 30’s Harlem, early 30’s Kansas City, 40’s 52nd St. Manhattan, and 50’s Los Angeles. Landmark recordings such as Louis Armstrong’s West End Blues in 1928, Coleman Hawkins’ Body and Soul in 1938, Charley Parker’s Ko Ko in 1945, John Coltrane’s Giant Steps in 1959, or Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters in 1973 were inflection points. In this course, we will listen to and explore the music, the people who created it, the places that nurtured it, and the economic and cultural forces that sustained or threatened it. Wednesdays, 9:30 - 11:00 LLC ZOOM Class Limit: 30