MUSI 207 - Perspectives in Music: Jazz and the American Experience

This course examines the phenomenon of jazz music by considering aesthetic theory in relationship to musical perception, and by developing skills in aural analysis of musical structures and styles. Issues of aesthetic sensitivity, personal experience, understanding of social context, and recognition of a variety of cultural/historical references are also components of this course. In addition, jazz will be examined in an historical and cultural context. Its development from the 1890’s to the present will be discussed, and distinctions will be made concerning the development of various styles and genres. Its impact upon American culture, especially the issues of race, gender, and social status, will be analyzed in depth.

Credits: 3 hours
NOTE: This course fulfills the Aesthetic: Fine Arts Mode of Inquiry and the Intercultural Interconnecting Perspective of the Liberal Studies Program.
Music major Music Theory, Literature, and History course.
NOTE: This course counts toward the 63-hour Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) graduation requirement.