BART 97A85 - Societies of Jazz: an anthropological perspective on african-american music

How can we describe the connection between an artist's work and the society they live in? This course aims at exploring and examining a selection of stylistic currents in jazz music from an anthropological point of view. Instead of focusing on an exhaustive presentation of the history of this music, we will discuss how human behavior, historical and social contexts and other contingencies have shaped different styles of jazz and have influenced musicians to follow specific artistic paths. Particular attention will be given to albums, biographies and careers of famous jazz musicians. Our goal will be to highlight the unicity of each artist's choices and understand both their contribution to the evolution of jazz music and their relation to the history of the discipline. We will see that, even in the case of extremely original innovators, an artist's trajectory cannot be completely separated from their environment, from the historical and geographical context and from the general trend of music at the moment and place where the innovation occurs. The course will include a workshop in which students will be guided through the creation and execution of a jazz performance. Objectifs pédagogiques / Academic expectations At the end of the cycle of lessons students are expected to be capable of : Understanding basic forms and structures of jazz pieces ; Identifying and naming different styles of jazz ; Reading a work of art through the prism of its production context ; Collectively facing the challenges of artistic creation and exchanging about related issues ; Developing an analytical discourse (written and oral) on the experience of listening to music.

Tommaso MONTAGNANI

Atelier

English

This course doesn't require any formal musical training: however, any music skill and/or knowledge possessed by the students will be used during the ‘workshop' part of the course both for musical performance and intellectual exchange between musicians and non-musicians. The variety of profiles in the group will represent an opportunity to discuss the composition of a jazz audience and its relation to performers.

Spring 2023-2024

Students evaluation will be determined by quality of: A written essay (2 pages) on a book chapter or article chosen in a list given at the beginning of the course (30%). An oral presentation about a Jazz album chosen in a list given at the beginning of the course. The students will be given the title of the album and the name of the artist(s) only : their assignment will consist in listening attentively to the work, researching every possible information about the historical and social context of production and underlining what they believe to be the most significant aspects of the performance as recorded (30%). Contribution to the workshop. Students will NOT be evaluated on the basis of their musical level, but rather in their participation in creating and sharing meaning based on the collective practice of improvised music. Students who cannot take part in the performances as musicians or singers will be asked to write lyrics or to contribute to the performance by means of any other art form (e.g., visual arts, drama etc…) (30%). Class attendance (10%). Late arrival policy Students arriving more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed to attend the course. Late work policy Essay evaluation will be reduced by 1 point per day of delay in handing the work.

=> 12 cours de 2h / 12 2 hour-long courses Cours / Course 1 : Date Titre / Title : Introduction (Parti I): From the origins to Louis Armstrong Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : Listening of a selection of works Cours / Course 2 : Date Titre / Title : Introduction (Part II): From the Be-Bop era to contemporary Jazz Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : Listening of a selection of works Cours / Course 3 : Date Titre / Title : Bird and Diz : the be-bop revolution and the life of its most influential artists Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : Listening of a selection of works Cours / Course 4 : Date Titre / Title : Charles Mingus : rage, excess and innovation Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : Listening of a selection of works Cours / Course 5 Date Titre / Title : Chet Baker : the west coast style Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : Listening of a selection of works Cours / Course 6 Date Titre / Title : Charlie Haden : Free jazz, country western and political engagement. Lectures / Readings : see list of prerequisite readings Travaux / Assignments : written essay and oral presentation Cours / Course 7 Date Titre / Title : Oral presentations, discussions. Collective writing of an outline for the workshop to come. Creative roles assignment. Lectures / Readings Travaux / Assignments Cours / Course 8 to 12 Date Titre / Title : Workshop Lectures / Readings Travaux / Assignments ; text and music composition, illustration, learning of songs and themes.