Introduction To Jazz Recordings

MUJS 1470

Fall 2016 Syllabus

Date/Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday9-9:50am

Location:MU282 - Kenton Hall

Instructor: Tanya Darby

Office: MU274

Email:

Office Hours: By Appointment Only: Monday 10-11am/Tuesday 2-3pm/Friday 10-11am

Course Description:

This course is designed to provide an outline of important artists and recordings in jazz history. Students will be given insight into the historical significance of specific recordings and their stylistic impact of the genre. Methods of comprehensive in depth listening will be introduced and students will develop further understanding of general jazz history. Students will also be given resources to research recordings.

Course Objectives:

  • Introduce students to key figures in jazz and iconic recordings.
  • Familiarize students with popular repertoire they may perform during their course of study.
  • Develop an understanding of the basic chronology.
  • Develop practical listening skills.
  • Discuss the importance of understanding the lineage.

Student Objectives:

  • The student should have a basic understanding of jazz history.
  • The student should be able to identify key recordings and personnel.
  • The student should be able to identify arrangers associated with specific ensembles.
  • Students should be able to utilize varying resources to find recordings, video, printed articles and magazines to research musicians.

You Can Expect Me To:

  • Treat students with respect.
  • Be on time and prepared.
  • Allow reasonable time for questions and discussion.
  • Be available outside of class via email.
  • Speak with disruptive students impeding the learning experience for other students.
  • Apply policies fairly to all students.

Required Text:

James McCalla – Jazz: A Listener’s Guide (3rdedition) – Prentice-Hall, (2000)

Attendance:

  • Regular attendance is of utmost importance to benefit from resourced material introduced and discussed in class.
  • Five unexcused absences will result in an automatic F. I must be notified in advance if you need to be excused for professional engagements, university-sponsored events (i.e. ensemble performances, tours) or legitimate illness. The Dean of Students office must document all absences due to illness in order to be considered an excused absence.

Method of Evaluation/Grading:

  • Students will be evaluated based their average of the four exams given and their final exam grade:

-Four Exam Average70%

-Final Exam30%

Office of Disability Accommodation:

The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.

Financial Aid and Satisfactory Academic Progress:

Undergraduates

A student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue to receive financial aid. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA in addition to successfully completing a required number of credit hours based on total registered hours per term. Students cannot exceed attempted credit hours above 150% of their required degree plan. If a student does not maintain the required standards, the student may lose their financial aid eligibility.

If at any point you consider dropping this or any other course, please be advised that the decision to do so may have the potential to affect your current and future financial aid eligibility. Please visit for more information about financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress. It is recommended that you to schedule a meeting with an academic advisor in your college or visit the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office to discuss dropping a course being doing so.

Graduates

A student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue to receive financial aid. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in addition to successfully completing a required number of credit hours based on total registered hours per term. Students cannot exceed maximum timeframes established based on the published length of the graduate program. If a student does not maintain the required standards, the student may lose their financial aid eligibility.

If at any point you consider dropping this or any other course, please be advised that the decision to do so may have the potential to affect your current and future financial aid eligibility. Please visit for more information about financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress. It is recommended that you to schedule a meeting with an academic advisor in your college or visit the Student Financial Aid and Scholarships office to discuss dropping a course being doing so.

Academic Integrity:

Academic Integrity is defined in the UNT Policy on Student Standards for Academic Integrity. Any suspected case of Academic Dishonesty will be handled in accordance with the University Policy and procedures. Possible academic penalties range from a verbal or written admonition to a grade of “F” in the course. Further sanctions may apply to incidents involving major violations. You will find the policy and procedures at:

Student Behavior in the Classroom:

Student behavior that interferes with an instructor’s ability to conduct a class or other students’ opportunity to learn is unacceptable and disruptive and will not be tolerated in any instructional forum at UNT. Students engaging in unacceptable behavior will be directed to leave the classroom and the instructor may refer the student to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities to consider whether the student’s conduct violated the Code of Student Conduct. The university’s expectations for student conduct apply to all instructional forums, including university and electronic classroom, labs, discussion groups, field trips, etc. The Code of Student Conduct can be found at:

Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT):

Student feedback is important and an essential part of participation in this course. The student evaluation of instruction is a requirement for all organized classes at UNT. The short SPOT survey will be made available April 18th – May 1st to provide you with an opportunity to evaluate how this course is taught. For the spring 2016semester you will receive an email on April 18th (12:01 a.m.) from "UNT SPOT Course Evaluations via IASystem Notification" () with the survey link. Please look for the email in your UNT email inbox. Simply click on the link and complete your survey. Once you complete the survey you will receive a confirmation email that the survey has been submitted. For additional information, please visit the spot website at or email .

Schedule*:

The Beginnings

8/29Introduction, Jelly Roll Morton

8/31Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson

The Big Bands

9/2Duke Ellington

9/5NO CLASS (Labor Day)

9/7Count Basie

9/9Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton

9/12Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Terry Gibbs, Gerald Wilson

9/14Gil Evans

9/16Review

9/19EXAM 1 (Including McCalla Ch.1)

9/21Oliver Nelson, Quincy Jones, Don Ellis

9/23Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

9/26Maria Schneider, Mingus Big Band, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Clayton/Hamilton

9/28GRP, Dave Holland, Jimmy Heath, Dizzy Gillespie United Nations Orchestra/Big Band, Charles Tolliver

9/30Bill Holman, Tom Kubis, Bob Florence, Bob Mintzer, Phillip Morris Superband

10/3Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Dave Holland, McCoy Tyner, Rufus Reid, Christian McBride

10/5EXAM 2 (Including McCalla Ch. 2)

The Artists

10/7Coleman Hawkins, Erroll Garner, Benny Carter, Lester Young

10/10Dizzy Gillespie

10/12Charlie Parker

10/14Miles Davis

10/17Bud Powell, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz

10/19Thelonius Monk, Clifford Brown/Max Roach

10/21John Coltrane

10/24 Dave Brubeck, Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker

10/26 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith

10/28Horace Silver, Shirley Scott, Cannonball Adderley, Curtis Fuller

10/31 EXAM 3 (Including McCalla Ch. 3 and 4)

11/2Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Lee Morgan, Frank Rosolino

11/4Charles Mingus, J.J. Johnson, Wayne Shorter

11/7Donald Byrd, Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson

11/9Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Jim Hall, Art Farmer, Hank Mobley

11/11Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Grant Green, Larry Young

11/14Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Pat Metheny

11/16Eric Dolphy, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, John Zorn

11/18EXAM 4 (Including McCalla Ch. 5)

The Vocalists

11/21Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Holiday

11/23Sarah Vaughan, Anita O’Day, Shirley Horn

11/25 NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)

11/28 Nancy Wilson, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae

11/30 Joe Williams, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme’

12/2Dee Dee Bridgewater, Mark Murphy, Kurt Elling, Bobby McFerrin

12/5Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, The Four-Freshman, Manhattan Transfer, The New York Voices

12/7Review

12/9NO CLASS (Reading Day)

12/14FINAL EXAM (8am-10am)

* Exam dates and class topics are subject to change. Some discussion topics and

listening examples may take longer than others. The schedule will be adjusted

accordingly.