Overview
This unit introduces students to the history and cultural development of modern jazz music, including hardbop, west coast, free jazz, fusion, latin jazz and modern mainstream. It focuses on prominent musicians, composers and repertoire as well as the major sociological and political events that influenced musical trends in jazz from the mid 1950’s to the present day.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2017
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Moodle - Unit Evaluations
Content was clearly defined, topics covered in great depth with ample support and feedback on assessment. Students commended the lecturer in implementing a unit that supports students studying in an independent learning environment.
Continue to develop unit materials to enhance distance study and integrate supported flex through video-conferencing lecturers where possible.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the musical repertoire studied and of its stylistic features, social and historical background, and chronological placement in the development of Jazz. This knowledge will be based strongly on aural as well as written sources.
- Demonstrate understanding of musical and historical concepts through coherent presentation of information in research assignments, analysis and examinations.
- Demonstrate ability to comprehensively analyse a musical work through identification of form, style and primary compositional elements.
- Demonstrate appropriate use of primary and secondary sources, including pertinent exemplification/illustration, selection of relevant data, complete and accurate documentation of sources used, correct use of language in written presentations.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
3 - Written Assessment - 40% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
1 - Communication | ||||
2 - Problem Solving | ||||
3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
4 - Information Literacy | ||||
5 - Team Work | ||||
6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
8 - Ethical practice | ||||
9 - Social Innovation | ||||
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
2 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||||
3 - Written Assessment - 40% |
Textbooks
Jazz - A History
2nd Edition (1993)
Authors: Tirro, F
W W Norton & Co
New York New York , NY , USA
Binding: Paperback
Jazz Styles History and Analysis
Edition: 11th edn (2011)
Authors: Gridley, M
Pearson Higher Ed USA
Upper Saddle River Upper Saddle River , NJ , USA
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
j.smyth-tomkins@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Bebop
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 9
Tirro: Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Bebop
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 9
Tirro: Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Bebop
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 9
Tirro: Chapter 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Cool Jazz & West Coast Jazz
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 10
Tirro: Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Cool Jazz & West Coast Jazz
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 10
Tirro: Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Minor Essay 1 due Friday 11 August at 11.45pm.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Hardbop & Modal Jazz
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 11, 12 & 13
Tirro: Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Hardbop & Modal Jazz
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 11, 12 & 13
Tirro: Chapter 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4: Latin Jazz
Chapter
Resources on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5: Free Jazz
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 14
Tirro: Chapter 9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Minor Essay 2 due Friday 15 September at 11.45pm.
Module/Topic
Topic 6: Fusion
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 16
Tirro: Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 6: Fusion
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 16
Tirro: Chapter 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 7: Modern Mainstream
Chapter
Gridley: Chapter 17
Tirro: Chapter 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Written Research Assignment due Monday 09 October at 11.45pm.
Assessment Task 3 - History & Listening Test will be scheduled during the exam period.
Written Research Assignment Due: Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Assessment Task 3 - History & Listening Test will be scheduled during the exam period.
History and Listening Test Due: Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
1 Written Assessment
Task
Students are required to submit two 1000 - 1500 word written worksheets during the term focused on aspects of jazz history between the bebop and free jazz eras.
Minor Essay 1
Choose one (out of the two) of the short essay topics relating to Bebop and Cool Jazz and provide a 1000 - 1500 word written response to your chosen topic.
Topic 1
Explain the performance practises of Bebop and how it differs from Swing, and why Bebop came after Swing. What caused the outgrowth of Bebop from Swing? Discuss relevant musical, social, political and economic factors that contributed to the development of Bebop.
Topic 2
Explain the performance practises of Cool Jazz, how it differs from Bebop and why Cool Jazz came after Bebop. How did this reflect what was going on in America at the time? Discuss relevant musical, social, political and economic factors that contributed to the development of Cool Jazz.
Minor Essay 2
Choose one (out of the two) of the short essay topics relating to Hard Bop, Cool jazz and Free Jazz and provide a 1000 - 1500 word written response to your chosen topic.
Topic 1
Explain the performance practises of Hard Bop, how it differs from Cool Jazz and why Hard Bop came after Cool Jazz. What was the social statement being made by this stylistic change and how did it affect the American cultural landscape? Discuss relevant musical, social, political and economic factors that contributed to the development of Hard Bop.
Topic 2
Explain the performance practises of Free Jazz. How was Free Jazz an outgrowth and expression of the Civil Rights movement in America? What was the political, social, and economic climate of America that allowed (or caused) Free Jazz to emerge? Discuss relevant musical, social, political and economic factors that contributed to the development of Free Jazz.
Task Description
From your chosen topics, provide the following:
- A historic overview of the development of the style (Bebop, Cool Jazz, Hard Bop or Free Jazz), highlighting principal artist/s responsible for the transition and development of the new style.
- A discussion of the transition between styles (as per chosen topic eg. Hard Bop and Cool Jazz) with regard to the political and social climate of the era.
- A discussion and comparison of the defining performance practises of the era/s (eg. Swing and Bebop or Bebop and Cool Jazz). Include discussion on ensemble size, common instrumentation, compositional / arranging practises and audience / public reaction.
Worksheet 1 is due on Friday 11 August at 11.45pm. Worksheet 2 is due on Friday 15 September at 11.45pm.
Minor Essay 1: Week 7 & Minor Essay 2: Week 11
- Appropriate introduction and conclusion - 5%
- Accuracy and depth of historic analysis of the development of the musical sub-style and identification of principal artists - 20%
- Accuracy of identification of the contributing social and political influences - 10%
- Accuracy of discussion of the transition of styles - 15%
- Accuracy in the identification and discussion of the sub-style specific performance practises - 25%
- Grammatical accuracy and spelling - 10%
- Correct use of academic referencing conventions - 10%
- Evidence of wide reading - 5%
- Demonstrate knowledge of the musical repertoire studied and of its stylistic features, social and historical background, and chronological placement in the development of Jazz. This knowledge will be based strongly on aural as well as written sources.
- Demonstrate understanding of musical and historical concepts through coherent presentation of information in research assignments, analysis and examinations.
- Demonstrate ability to comprehensively analyse a musical work through identification of form, style and primary compositional elements.
- Demonstrate appropriate use of primary and secondary sources, including pertinent exemplification/illustration, selection of relevant data, complete and accurate documentation of sources used, correct use of language in written presentations.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Task
For this assessment task students are required to write a 2000 - 2500 word written assignment.
Topic
Miles Davis (or groups led by Davis) recorded several albums that stand out in the history of jazz as ‘seminal recordings’. Three such albums are acknowledged as pioneering developments of new jazz sub-styles and are heralded as some of the most influential jazz recordings ever produced.
- Cool Jazz: ‘Birth of the Cool’ ushered in a transition towards a bebop influenced, yet ‘cool’ sounding jazz.
- Modal Jazz: ‘Kind of Blue’ steered jazz away from the frenetic sounds of bebop and complex chord progressions, towards a simpler, modal based music.
- Fusion: ‘Bitches Brew’ was a full-blown announcement that jazz had moved in the direction of technologically manipulated music, fusing jazz elements with rock instrumentation, among other things.
Task Description
Choose one sub-style from those provided (above) and discuss the significance of this recording by providing:
• A brief biographical introduction to Miles Davis.
• A historic overview of the chosen sub-style (Cool Jazz, Modal Jazz or Fusion), including an analysis of the musical, social and political influences.
• A summary of the performance practises associated with the chosen sub-style (instrumentation, size of ensemble, common performance elements etc).
• Background information on the associated album (Birth of the Cool, Kind of Blue or Bitches Brew). Such information may include the recording process, composer/arranger information etc.
• Background information on the musicians who recorded on the album and their contribution to the recording itself.
• A musical analysis of the individual song associated with each recording (Birth of the Cool: Boplicity, Kind of Blue: So What, Bitches Brew: Pharaoh’s Dance).
Review/Exam Week Monday (9 Oct 2017) 11:45 pm AEST
End of Examination Period
- Appropriate introduction and conclusion - 5%
- Accuracy of biographical history of the artist - 15%
- Precise and relevant account of the development of the musical sub-style and identification of contributing social and political influences - 10%
- Accuracy in the identification and discussion of the sub-style specific performance practises - 15%
- Accuracy and depth of research of the chosen album and associated artists - 15%
- Accuracy of musical analysis of the chosen recording - 15%
- Grammatical accuracy and spelling - 10%
- Correct use of academic referencing conventions - 10%
- Evidence of wide reading - 5%
- Demonstrate knowledge of the musical repertoire studied and of its stylistic features, social and historical background, and chronological placement in the development of Jazz. This knowledge will be based strongly on aural as well as written sources.
- Demonstrate understanding of musical and historical concepts through coherent presentation of information in research assignments, analysis and examinations.
- Demonstrate appropriate use of primary and secondary sources, including pertinent exemplification/illustration, selection of relevant data, complete and accurate documentation of sources used, correct use of language in written presentations.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 Written Assessment
Students will undertake a history and listening test based on the unit materials presented in lectures and on the Moodle site during the term. The test will consist of the identification of works from a listening list and may contain short answer responses related to the history of the musical period being studied.
Exam Week Friday (20 Oct 2017) 5:00 pm AEST
Results will be posted to Moodle after the completion of this test.
Accuracy and clarity of response to questions relating to the musical / historical period being studied.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the musical repertoire studied and of its stylistic features, social and historical background, and chronological placement in the development of Jazz. This knowledge will be based strongly on aural as well as written sources.
- Demonstrate understanding of musical and historical concepts through coherent presentation of information in research assignments, analysis and examinations.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Technology Competence
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
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As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.