Music B23
Music B23 – Appreciation of Jazz | Bakersfield College | Spring 2012
Course Materials
Supplemental Readings and Videos
YouTube Video Playlist for Music B23
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Opening Address to the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival
A Playboy Interview With Miles Davis (1962)
“On Why Jazz Isn’t Cool Anymore” by Nicholas Payton
Online Resources
Bakersfield Jazz Workshop Facebook Group
Essay Questions for Listening Assignment #1 – Due on March 8
1. Use at least three examples from CD1 to demonstrate how performance characteristics of traditional West African music reappeared in jazz of the 1920s-30s.
2. In the 1920s – 30s jazz was viewed by some as the Devil’s Music that would bring about the downfall of Western civilization. Others saw it as a profound expression of modern life and a realization of progressive social values for African-Americans. Pick one song from CD1 that could have been used to articulate both positions, and explain why. Be sure to reference lyrics (if applicable), musical qualities (rhythm, timbre, melody, texture, etc.), the biographical background of the artist(s), and the historical context (time and place) of the recording.
3. Read this essay by David Margolick on the story behind “Strange Fruit”. Then listen to Billie Holiday’s original 1939 recording of the song – it’s the first YouTube video embedded below. Next, watch the second video below of Billie performing the song live in London in February, 1959 – just five months before her death. For this essay, you will compare the two performances in terms of their instrumentation, tempo, texture, and rhythmic pacing, as well as their dramatic intensity, emotional depth, and overall impact on you as a listener.
Essay Questions for Listening Assignment #2 – Due on May 3
1. Coming soon.
2. Coming soon.
3. Coming soon.
