PASADENA CITY COLLEGE
Performing & Communication Arts Division
MU 24A CRN 31318
The Jazz Experience: Evolution & Essence
Spring 2015
Introduction to jazz: its development, major styles, and innovators. Non-technical
analysis of jazz's musical and multicultural elements through lecture, demonstration,
reading, film, and required listening. Required concert attendance. Total of 54 hours
lecture and 18 hours music laboratory. Transfer credit: CSU; UC Grading: Letter Grade
or Pass/No Pass
Instructor: A. Wilkerson
Office: CA 119A
Phone: 626 585-7577
Email: alwilkerson@pasadena.edu
Class Times: T/Th 1:00-2:25pm
Place: Center for the Arts 210 and lab Center for the Arts 002
Text: (required) Concise Guide to Jazz by Mark C. Gridley Seventh Edition &
accompanying two CD set.
Andrea Wilkerson Spring 2015 Conference Hours
Mondays 12:00-12:15pm (.25)
1:45-3:45 (2)
5:15-5:30 (.25)
Tuesdays 2:30-2:45 (.25)
Wednesdays 12:00-12:15pm (.25)
1:45-3:45 (2)
5:15-5:30 (.25)
Thursdays 2:30-2:45 (.25)
Grading Policy:
Grades are based on attendance, tests, written reports and 18 lab hours. I use a point
system. I give four tests previous to the final and will drop your lowest score – this
does not include just not showing up for the test. You are required to take all four
tests. If you miss a test, that score of zero will be averaged into your score and I will
drop the lowest test that you did take. The three top scoring tests are averaged along
with your final, your concert report, your lab hours and attendance including
punctuality. Failure to complete your required lab hours will result in a lowered letter
grade. The final is taken from the previous four tests.
All tests require a scantron form 882E. Use #2 pencil, no ink as the machine will not
read it. Do not be late for tests. I will not replay listening examples if you show up late.
Point System:
540-600+=A
480-539 = B
Below 359=F
420-479=C
360-419=D
(I drop the lowest of test 1-4 but you MUST take all
four tests.)
Test 1 = 100 points
Test 2 = 100 points
Test 3 = 100 points
Test 4 = 100 points
Report = 100 points
Lab hours = 100 points
Final =100 points
Attendance – after 3 unexcused absences your grade automatically falls.
Extra Credit: You will have many opportunities to earn extra credit points so do not come
up to me at the end of the semester if you are missing a grade by a point or two. I will not
change it.
I will be giving extra credit for attending the PCC Jazz concert on Friday,
April 24, 2015 at 7pm in the new Center for the Arts. Details to follow.
Attendance and punctuality: These are extremely important. Three tardies will equal one
absence, so please be on time. If you choose to leave class early and not clear it with me,
you will be marked absent for that date. If a student misses two weeks of class, I may, at
my discretion, drop you from the class. However, if you elect to stop coming to class it is
your responsibility to drop the class.
Classroom Behavior: Respect your fellow classmates and do not talk during lectures and
films. There is nothing more annoying than watching a film or trying to take notes while
people are talking and being disruptive. If you have to talk, please leave the classroom.
The use of cell phones and laptops during class is prohibited.
Lab Hours: It is also very important that you complete your lab hours. It can make
the difference of a whole letter grade to be deficient on your lab hours. Lab hours
are worth 100 points.
Tests: I do not give make-up tests unless there is a dire emergency and this will be left to
my discretion. And please be on time! Always communicate with me. My office phone
is the best way to reach me. 626 585-7577.
Cheating and plagiarism: will NOT be tolerated in this class and will result in
FAILURE of the class. Webster’s Dictionary describes the verb plagiarize as 1. To steal
and use (the ideas or writings of another) as one’s own. 2. To take passages or ideas from
and use them as one’s own. 3. To practice plagiarism. Webster’s Dictionary describes
the noun plagiarism as 1. The act of plagiarizing 2. Material that has been plagiarized.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Students will be able to describe the elements, origins and development of the
American jazz art form, identifying the major players and schools of jazz, including
blues, early jazz, swing, bebop, cool, hard bop, fusion and avant-garde.
2. Students will be able to describe the relevant social, political and economic conditions
associated with the development of jazz.
3. Students will be able to define elements of music such as melody, harmony, rhythm
and improvisation as each relates to the making of jazz.
4. Students will be able to identify jazz recordings from the various periods in jazz
history.
5. Students will be able to critique in writing a live jazz performance.
MU 24A Course Outline (Subject to change)
Week 1: Tuesday, January 13 – syllabus, introductions, assignment chapters 1-4
Thursday, January 15 -Study Guide, Vocabulary & early jazz film, lecture, listening,
visit to music lab
Week 2: Tuesday, January 20– Lecture, film
Thursday, January 22– listening, film, etc.
Week 3: Tuesday, January 27– Lecture, listening, film
Thursday, January 29– Film and lecture
Week 4: Tuesday, February 3-film, review
Thursday, February 5 - Test 1 (over chapters 1-4) Assign Chapter 5
Week 5: Tuesday, February 10 – Hand back test 1, study guide, swing era lecture and
film
Thursday, February 12 – Benny Goodman show Youtube opportunity and hand-out
BIG EC homework
Week 6: Tuesday, February 17
Thursday, February 19 – lecture other Big Bands
Week 7: Tuesday, February 24 - lecture, Django, Charlie Christian, Ella, Anita
Thursday, February 26 -Listening, Count Basie
Week 8: Tuesday March 3 -film. Lecture, etc.
Thursday, March 5 - Test 2 (midterm on chapter 5) assign chapter 6, 7 & 8
March 9-14 - spring break
Week 9: Tuesday, March 17 – Hand back test 2, lecture on bebop, study guide,
listening, Parker & Gillespie
Thursday, March 19 – more bebop: Monk, Sarah Vaughan
Week 10: Tuesday, March 24 – ! Lecture on cool, film, listening, etc.
Lecture, review Brubeck,
Thursday, March 26 Week 11: Tuesday, March 31 -Caesar Chavez Day campus closed
Thursday, April 2 - listening, film, review
Week 12: Tuesday, April 7 - Test 3 (over chapters 6-8)
Thursday, April 9 – Pass back test 3; Assign chapter 9, 10, 11, Study guide (Miles &
Beyond) day if time
Week 13: Tuesday- April 14 avant-garde: fusion, etc.
Thursday, April 16 - more Concert reports due
Week 14: Tuesday, April 21 - lecture
Thursday, April 23
Week 15: April 28 – Test 4
Thursday, April 30 -Pass back test 4 and review for final
Week 16: Finals week: Final time to be announced and can also be found on
www.pasadena.edu under calendar - final exam schedule
Instructions for Concert Report:
You must attend a live jazz performance, either in a jazz club or in a concert setting.
High School concerts are not acceptable. You must attend either a professional concert
or jazz club performance or a college or university concert. Your report must be a
minimum of two pages double-spaced, 12 point font size in Times New Roman font with
one inch margins. Do not use graphics. Put your name, the course name and my name in
the upper right hand corner, single-spaced exactly as shown on the sample. Staple your
paper together. Attach a ticket stub, program, receipt or all to the report to authenticate
your actual attendance of the event. Be sure that your report has correct grammar and
spelling. If I have red marks all over your paper for bad grammar, bad spelling, incorrect
use of capitals, etc. you are not handing in an A paper and you will be graded
accordingly. Please do not mix tenses. In other words, write your report in the past tense.
If you need help in writing or with use of the English language, seek help on campus.
Remember that this is college and everything about your paper adds or subtracts from
your grade. Use musical terms learned in class in your description. Give names and song
titles where possible. It is always a good idea to interview the artists if possible. Most
musicians are happy to speak with you and generally love discussing their music and
careers. Interviewing artists will give you a much richer pool of information to include in
your report. I will provide you with a list of jazz clubs in the LA area on the college
website for this class. This list is by no means complete. Use the newspaper, Internet,
etc. to find venues featuring artists who appeal to you. The event must feature jazz, not
rock, folk, etc. You may also attend any PCC jazz concerts. A complete list is available
in the office along with other performance opportunities here on campus. You may also
check dates on the PCC jazz website. Go to www.pccjazz.com and click under events for
the complete calendar.
I will not accept concert reports after THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015 so get them done
early!
When writing your report, do not spend exorbitant amounts of time on room décor, what
your date was wearing or how boring she/he was, how hard it was to find a parking spot,
or how expensive the bill was. This will only cause your grade to start falling very
rapidly. I am interesting in the music and your reaction to it, PERIOD!
Point System:
Test 1 - 100 points
Test 2 - 100 points
Test 3 - 100 points
Test 4 - 100 points
I drop the lowest test.
Concert Report - 100 points
Lab Hours (18 = 100 points)
Final - 100 points
540-600 = A
480-539 = B
420-479 = C
360-419 = D
Below 360= F
After three unexcused absences your grade will start falling. Three unexcused tardies = 1
absence
See sample concert report on next page.
John Smith
Jazz Experience
A. Wilkerson
1:00 class time
A Night at Charlie O’s
Last Friday, April 18, I attended an evening of jazz at Charlie O’s. Charlie O’s is
one of the best rooms in the LA area in which to hear jazz. It is a bit funky but well suited
to listening as the acoustics of the room are above average. This evening I heard a group
featuring Joe Blow on tenor sax. He was backed by an excellent trio featuring Fingers
McGraw on piano, Thumpy Ferguson on bass and Rata Tat on drums. A special surprise
guest, Lips Galore, sat in on trumpet. And later a great singer joined the mix.
Blow is one of the finest saxophonists I have ever heard. His technique was
amazing as he brilliantly ripped through such standard fare as “All the Things You Are”
and “Joy Spring.” The third tune of the evening started with Fingers giving a beautiful
rubato intro before the band members joined him in a truly soulful rendition of “Lush
Life.” The Billy Strayhorn classic was haunting and when Thumpy took a half chorus on
bass the room went wild with appreciative applause before Blow came back on the bridge
and took it out. The set ended with a festive Latino version of “My Little Suede Shoes.” I
found out that this was a song composed by the great alto saxophonist, Charlie Parker.
On the break after the first set, I had a chance to speak with Blow, who told me that his
greatest influences were John Coltrane and Joe Henderson.
The second set resumed with Lips Galore featured on a Miles Davis tune,
“Joshua.” The meter was a little hard for me to define, as it seemed to continually change
from a four-four feel to a jazz waltz. It was an exciting tune and I could not keep from
tapping my feet to the quick tempo. The rest of the set was used to showcase several
original songs by both Blow and Galore. They were not as well- received by the
audience, probably because the songs were a little too avant-garde and hard to follow.
They closed the second set with a rousing blues and brought the people back. I guess
these jazz musicians know the limit to which they can expose their listeners to new
music.
I talked to the musicians again on this last break and learned that Fingers McGraw
is originally from New York City. He was getting ready to return to his home for a series
of gigs. The bassist, Thumpy Ferguson, also maintains a busy teaching studio and does a
lot of film work in the LA area. I also found out that this was the first time these
musicians had ever worked with Rata Tat on drums. I guess when musicians get to a
certain level, they can come together and play without a rehearsal and it sounds
marvelous to the audience. I have a new appreciation for the dedication these artists give
to their craft. The group sounded very well rehearsed to me.
The third set was a more soulful set than the first two. A guest singer, Harmony
Brewster, sat in on a short set of very pleasing vocals. Her voice was quite intimate and
her singing really reminded me of the selections by Billie Holiday that we had listened to
in class. She started off with a jumper called “T’ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do” where
she teased the audience with the humorous lyrics. She then moved to a cover I heard
Esperanza Spaulding do as well as Billie, “Good Mornin’ Heartache.” It was really
haunting and sad. Just when it seemed a gloomy mist was hovering over the room,
Harmony came right back with Billie’s classic “Fine and Mellow” where the horns traded
solos behind her intermittent choruses. And then she started to scat. It was some of the
most soulful scatting I have ever heard and at times she made her voice sound like a
trombone. It was my favorite song that she performed. The audience wanted her to stay
and sing more but she had another late gig she had to get to.
For the next number after Harmony’s departure, Blow started a cappella with a
long, moving cadenza before bringing the band in on the Coleman Hawkins classic,
“Body and Soul.” His version was much more modern but nonetheless inspiring. The
band then switched gears with another Latin tinged song called “The Dolphin.” It was
very fast and yet very lyrical. Galore played a different instrument, a larger version of the
trumpet called a flugelhorn. I loved its dark sound. Rata Tat gave a long improvisational
solo on the next tune that was several choruses long before the members joined him for a
series of trading fours. The last song the band played before ending the evening was a
much more modern tune, “Freedom Jazz Dance” by Eddie Harris. It got really funky and
several people actually stood up and danced beside their tables. It was a perfect way to
end a very enjoyable night of great jazz music and I look forward to more ventures into
the LA jazz scene.