History Of Jazz - MUSIC 131 (Asynchronous Online) – Summer, 2025
Course Syllabus
INSTRUCTOR: Rory Somers: rosomers@uw.edu
TEXT: Jazz Styles (11th edition) by Mark Gridley
*All course content will be covered in video lectures. There is no material exclusive to the Gridley textbook.
Not Required, supplemental: History Of Jazz: Lecture Notes, Overheads... (2nd edition) by Tom Collier
Gridley Reading assignments are posted below. Page numbers refer to the current edition.
Music 131 is an on-line course offering a musical, historical, and cultural overview of jazz music from its origins to the present. The course is divided into 10.5 lessons that span the history of jazz from the late nineteenth century to today. Each lesson includes reading and listening assignments, video lesson, and practice (ungraded) quiz. Each lesson component will be discussed in more detail below.
NOTE: Before you begin, please look at "Start Here" under the "Pages" menu (look to your left).
EXAMS:
The three midterm examinations are in a multiple-choice format and cover:
• reading assignments from the Gridley textbook (The Collier book will be explained below)
• required listening examples (explained below)
• video lessons
On each of the three exams, three or four recordings from the required listening examples will be available during the exam. You will be expected to identify the primary artist, other significant musicians on the recording, style of jazz, and important musical and historical characteristics of each piece.
This quarter, each exam will available to take at any time on it's scheduled day, but once you open an exam you will have a 50 minute time limit. Please make sure that you can be available on the three exam days for 50 consecutive minutes. You may use your textbooks during the exams, but keep in mind the time frame that you have to complete the exam. Having to "look up" too much information will slow you down and possibly keep you from completing the work within the 50 minute time period.
NOTE: Due to the independent learning nature of this on-line course as well as the lack of a formal class meeting time, no Final Exam will be scheduled.
Midterm Exam 1 – Wednesday, July 2nd
Covering lectures, readings and listening assignments for lessons 1-3
40 points (multiple-choice)
Midterm Exam 2 – Friday, July 11th
Covering lectures, readings and listening assignments for lessons 4-7
40 points (multiple-choice)
Midterm Exam 3 – Friday, June 6th
Covering lectures, readings and listening assignments for lessons 8-10
40 points (multiple-choice)
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Lesson 1:
Reading: Gridley, pp. 3-57 (use of the Collier book explained below)
• Introduction
• The Basics Of Jazz Improvisation; listening to jazz, etc.
• Origins Of Jazz
• Demonstration Video: "Melody, Harmony, Rhythm" (see videos below)
Lesson 2
Reading: Gridley, pp. 59-97
• Early Jazz - New Orleans to Chicago
• Louis Armstrong and beyond
Lesson 3
• Reading: Gridley, pp. 99-161
• The Swing Era – Goodman, Ellington, Basie, Holiday, etc.
• Exam 1 - Wednesday, July 2nd
Lessons 4 & 5
Reading: Gridley, pp. 163-259
• Bebop - Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, etc.
• Cool Jazz - Miles Davis, Modern Jazz Quartet, Dave Brubeck, etc.
• Hard Bop - Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, etc.
Lessons 6 & 7
Reading: Gridley, pp. 261-305
• Demonstration Video: "Modal Jazz" (see lesson videos below)
• Miles Davis - cool / modal / 60’s band
• John Coltrane
• Jazz Concert Report 1 Due: Monday, July 7th
• Exam 2: Friday, July 11th
Lesson 8
Reading: Gridley, pp. 307-361
• Avant-Garde jazz - Ornette Coleman
• Demonstration Video: "Free Jazz" (see lesson videos below)
• A.A.C.M. - 1960-1979 Chicago free jazz
• Free jazz (World Saxophone Quartet, Dave Holland, Cecil Taylor)
Lesson 9
Reading: Gridley, pp. 363-389
• Fusion – Miles Davis, Weather Report, etc.
• Writing Assignment, Short Term Paper Due: Friday, July 18th
Lesson 10
Reading: Gridley, pp. 391-443
• Post Modern Bop – Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, etc.
• Hip-Hop Jazz / Acid Jazz, other voices
• Jazz Concert Report 2 Due: Wednesday, July 23rd
• Exam 3: Monday, July 21st
LESSON VIDEO PRESENTATIONS:
In the "Pages" menu on the left side of this screen, you will find video PowerPoint lecture overviews by the instructor introducing and discussing the important elements of each lesson. The videos are labeled "Lesson XX Presentation" and run between 15-30 minutes in length. It is highly recommended that you view the video presentation for each lesson in order to gain a more thorough understanding of the important elements of jazz history and jazz music.
Three additional video performance demonstrations are located in the "Assignments" menu on the left side of this screen labled (drum roll) "Videos". Unlike the PowerPoint-based video presentations (above), these videos show the instructor demonstrating topics on "melody, harmony, and rhythm", "modal jazz", and "free jazz". The additional demonstration videos are included in the above Weekly Assignment Schedule.
OUTSIDE LISTENING ASSIGNMENTS:
Listening assignments outside of class are a very important component of this course. The assignments parallel jazz history and provide additional listening opportunities for examples played and discussed in the lessons. The listening & identification sections of the three exams will be drawn from these assignments which are available for review throughout the quarter. The listening assignments are located under the "Assignments" menu on the left side of this screen and identified as "Outside Listening". The listening assignments can also be accessed under the "Pages" menu. It is important to keep up to date with the outside listening since your grade will be affected by how well you absorb the important musical qualities and historical importance of the examples used on the exams. It is highly recommended that you take time to listen to each example carefully and utilize the lecture notes provided in class and in the Collier textbook. Most people need to listen to each example at least two-three times in order to effectively absorb the music. All listening examples are embedded in the MUSIC 131b Canvas module and, therefore, there is no need to search outside sources to gain access to the recordings.
Collier Book and Outside Listening Examples
The Collier book, History Of Jazz: Lecture Notes, Overheads... (2nd ed.), is intended to support the outside listening examples discussed above. Unlike the Gridley textbook, the Collier book is organized and written in the manner of a listening manual. The book provides concise, descriptive analysis of each listening example along with other important information relative to the recording. When reviewing the outside listening examples, it is highly recommended to have the Collier book open to the page respective to the recording being heard.
WRITING ASSIGNMENT/ SHORT TERM PAPER:
A short term paper (minimum of 1000 words not including title page or works cited) is required. You may use MLA, APA, or Chicago, but you MUST use one and follow its style guidelines. Including title page, heading, formatting (spacing, margins, etc...), citations and bibliography.
You will choose one of three topics and compose a well-researched paper including proper citations and a formal bibliography showing at least four distinct sources above and beyond the required course textbooks. Credible jazz sources including journals such as Downbeat, Jazz Times, JazzIz, Earshot, and All About Jazz have comprehensive internet websites. Other trustworthy music websites include All Music Guide and Discogs. Most living jazz artists maintain sites that provide helpful research information. A few deceased artists have websites that are administered by artist estates and/or families.
Sources that are not acceptable include Wikipedia and "fan" sites maintained by fans of an artist.
This paper is worth a maximum of 30 points. Specific information and the list of three topics to choose from can be found under the "Assignments" menu on the left side of this screen. This paper is due no later than 11:59pm, on Friday, July 18th. Late papers not accepted!!!
JAZZ CONCERT REPORTS: Students in MUSIC 131 are required to write 2 jazz concert reports. For the summer quarter, these concerts can be videos of jazz concerts on YouTube. The videos must be at least 60 minutes and explicitly jazz. If you are not sure if a concert would count as jazz, google the artist to see if they are defined as a jazz musician. If you are still not sure, email the instructor. For an extra 8 points of credit, students can write one of these 2 reports on a live, in person jazz concert. This calendar is a great resource for finding jazz concerts in the Seattle area. You must attach a selfie of you at the concert to your concert report as proof you attended to receive the extra credit.
The assignment is broken into two submissions, Jazz Concert Report 1 and Jazz Concert Report 2.
You must use the Music 131 Concert Report Form in completing each assignment.
NOTE: Jazz Concert Reports 1 and 2 must be submitted on this form to receive credit.
The deadlines for the reports are as follows:
Report 1: due no later than 11:59pm, Monday, July 7th
Report 2: due no later than 11:59pm, Wednesday, July 23rd
You may turn in concert reports prior to the due dates. However, the above dates are absolute deadlines.
Each report is worth a maximum of 15 points (30 points total). Failure to meet the above report deadlines could result in a failing grade for the course.
PRACTICE QUIZZES:
Several ungraded practice quizzes are provided to help you study for the three graded Midterm Exams. The practice quizzes do not necessarily represent the actual questions on the midterm exams, but include questions that are relevant to preparing for the graded exams. You are not required to complete the Practice Quizzes. They are only provided for your benefit to help you prepare for the "real thing". The Practice Quizzes are located on the left-hand menu under (drum roll) "Quizzes".
EMAIL POLICY: You are highly encouraged to email the TA's or instructor regarding questions relevant to a jazz-related topic, practice quiz question, discussion forum, jazz concert report, or reading assignment. ided at the top of this Syllabus page.
GRADES: Your final grade will depend on the number of points you compile: There is a total of 180 points possible in this course counting exams and concert reports. Here is a breakdown on the number of points needed for a specific grade:
4.0 - 167-180 points
3.9 - 166
3.8 - 165
3.7 - 164
3.6 - 163
3.5 - 162 (90%) 'A' grades
3.4 - 161
3.3 - 159-160
3.2 - 157-158
3.1 - 155-156
3.0 - 153-154
2.9 - 152
2.8 - 150-151
2.7 - 148-149
2.6 - 146-147
2.5 - 144-145 (80%) 'B' grades
2.4 - 142-143
2.3 - 140-141
2.2 - 139
2.1 - 137-138
2.0 - 135-136
1.9 - 134
1.8 - 132-133
1.7 - 130-131
1.6 - 128-129
1.5 - 126-127 (70%) 'C' grades
1.4 - 123-125
1.3 - 121-122
1.2 - 116-120
1.1 - 111-115
1.0 - 108-111
0.9 - 104-107
0.8 - 101-103
0,7 - 99-100 (55%) 'D' grades
0.0 - 0-98 fail
All work submitted for this course must be your own. Any use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, when working on assignments is forbidden. Use of generative AI will be considered academic misconduct and subject to investigation
The assignments in this class have been designed to challenge you to develop creativity, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. Using AI technology will limit your capacity to develop these skills and to meet the learning goals of this course.
If you have any questions about what constitutes academic integrity in this course or at the University of Washington, please feel free to contact me to discuss your concerns.