Choose a jazz album from the list below that you would like to explore:
1. Thelonious Monk: Misterioso
2. Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie: Bird and Diz
3. John Coltrane: Giant Steps
4. Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus
5. Mel Lewis and Thad Jones: Live at the Village Vanguard (big band)
6. Miles Davis: Round About Midnight (you can select the “Mono” version to get the original 6 track release. Just state this specifically in your review.)
7. Bill Evans: Portrait in Jazz
8. Clifford Brown and Max Roach: Clifford Brown & Max Roach
9. Eric Dolphy: At the Five Spot, Volume 1
10. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Africaine
NOTE: The original release is fine. You do not have to write about every single track on a reissue unless you want to (Ex. Round About Midnight’s original release had 6 tracks; the reissue has 10. You only have to write about the original 6 if you want.) But make sure to mention the reissue in your background information.
The assignment must be a minimum of 800 words. Once you have selected an album, do some background research about the artist and album (it doesnt have to be extensive scholarly researcha few Wikipedia and Google searches to learn more would be fine in addition to checking your notes and past lectures for relevant information. Some albums may have liner notes posted online: these would be very helpful). Listen to it several times, preferably taking notes about what you hear. Listen attentively, as in dont be multitasking. Set aside time to only listen. Do your best to answer the following questions in paragraph format (do not use bullet points).
You will need multiple paragraphs (at least one per question for #2-5) to answer all of the questions well. You also must use at least one source from the textbook or your notes from in class. (This can be using musical jargon like “Modal jazz”, “stop time”, “broken-time feel” etc but make sure you say which page or slide it’s from. If you didn’t write down the specific chapter your notes are from, just be sure to mention they’re your class notes.) For external sources, you do not have to cite unless you are using a direct quote, and it can be an informal citation such as in a 2006 interview about the album, Joshua Redman said or you can refer to your source in parentheses (2006 interview).
1. State the album and artist for which you are responding:
2. Provide background information about the artist/groups career and music in general. What personnel are featured on the album? When was the album recorded and when was it released? Who composed or arranged the songs on the album? Find any statements about the album (by the artist themselves or by critics or historians)? Did this album have any significance for the artists career or for the evolution of jazz in general?
3. What sub-style of jazz does this album features? What influences do you hear in their music? Reference the textbook or your notes. Providing specific examples, i.e. on track 2, the use of electric instruments such as synthesizers shows the influence of fusion on the group Also provide some time stamps where you find those characteristics. Think about the jazz styles we have discussed throughout the course as well as any influences you might hear from other genres of music. If you are hearing other genres of music, then try to use the terms from the class materials. For example, Bebop de-emphasize the dancing aspect of the music, is other music genre you’re relating focuses on dancing aspect or not ?
4. Write anything you notice about the music itself, and again, be as specific as you can in your examples. There is no right or wrong answer for this but please be specific. Include timestamp or specific track with your observations. These observations can be abstract. You must make observations about each track on the album. The grade will be heavily depend on how specific you are. We want you to be thorough on listening.
5. What, if anything, did you learn about your own enjoyment of music from listening to this album? Did this change anything in the way you listen to music, did this serve as a jumping-off point for other types of jazz, etc.