Annotation
This course offers the students an opportunity to learn about the main styles and personalities in the history of jazz, from the early 20th century to the present day (including New Orleans jazz, swing, be-bop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, fusion, ‘ethno’ jazz, and postmodern jazz). Students will acquire basic listening and analytical skills, as well as necessary knowledge about the socio-cultural, technological, and political context of particular songs, performers, and styles.
These two approaches will allow them to understand and appreciate jazz in all of its variety, both musically and culturally. In the course, we will not only focus on jazz in America, from where it originates, but will also look into some other, sometimes neglected geographical areas from around the world, with a specific focus on European, African, and Japanese jazz.