Choose one of the following topics for your final essay:
Buddy Bolden, the creator of jazz.
the first jazz recording in 1917 by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.
Duke Ellington’s Band in the 1920s and 1930s/1940s. How did the Swing era impact his band and music?
Benny Goodman. His impact on the Swing Era and his efforts for racial integration.
Charlie Parker (Bird) and Dizzy Gillespie (Diz), the creators of Be Bop.
the lineage of Black American Music (BAM) from the precursors of Jazz (Ring Shout, Work Songs, Spirituals, Blues, etc.) through the early jazz on the late 1910s and 1920s, the Swing Era 1930s, and Be Bop of the 1940s.
Miles Davis.
John Coltrane.
any of the sub genres of jazz from the 1950s to modern (Cool, Hard Bop, Third Stream, Avant Garde, Fusion, etc.).
how the Civil Rights Movement impacted jazz in the 1960s (and beyond).
one of the great Fusion bands from the 1970s.
one of the great modern jazz musicians/bands
double check with me to make sure you are choosing a musician or band that is appropriate for the essay. Do not write about Phish for example
Assignment Guidelines
1000 word minimum
12 pt font Times New Roman
Please do not use AI and do not plagiarize other sources
Intro, Body, Conclusion format
Category: Jazz
You will review the following album: Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (1959). You can find this album on all major online music platforms (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music). You can access the album on YouTube via this link:
Album Review Guidelines (500 words minimum)
This semester, you will listen to a Jazz album (Miles Davis – Kind of Blue). This assignment
provides you (the student) an opportunity to apply the knowledge and concepts learned in class to your own review of a seminal jazz recording. You may use your book, class notes and other resources to answer the following questions:
1. List the track titles and performers (and their respective instrument) featured on the album.
2. In regards to the album, identify the following:
a. The genre (Swing, Bebop, Fusion etc.)
b. The year released
c. The record label
3. In a paragraph of 3-5 sentences, describe the importance of this particular album. Consider the significance of the performers (and how they impacted future musicians and musical
ideologies) as well as the reaction by the general public and prominent music critics. How were views enhanced/changed/shifted because of this album and/or the career of the performer?
4. In one paragraph of at least 4 sentences, state your favorite track and explain why. Use specific examples of the music and cite concepts learned in class (such as phrasing, solos, the head, trading fours, the feel etc.)
5. Research one of the other musicians on the album. Discuss their contributions in Jazz History including specific recordings (minimum TWO), brief biographical information, and what other bands they led/performed in
6. In a final paragraph of at least 4 sentences, argue whether this album is still relevant today or not. Consider a person who has never studied/played music before; what would this listener gain from hearing the album in its entirety or how might it fail to connect with them? Cite specific song examples/excerpts from the album to back up your opinion.