Thursday's class

We finished viewing Bird today and then listened to Carmen Bradford's Ain't No Use, Little Esther, and I Believe to My Soul in preparation for tomorrow's test.  We also reviewed chapters 16-18 in the text and went through sample questions for each chapter.  Another part of the test is to be done this evening and posted to your blog--an autobiographical sketch of your life as a musician, or someone related to music, who has been associated with Kansas City.  In your story, mention the associations that you made, the style of music that you played, if you are a musician, what KC was like when you were there, the ups and downs of your career, and how you ended your days.  Also, don't forget to write your summary of the course.  While I said that it might be possible to conflate both papers, I think that would be exceedingly hard, so let's keep them separate.  Corn bread and back eye peas tomorrow!  Also, please complete the TEVAL.

Wednesday's class

Today our guest lecturer was Dr. Leo Schell, and he spoke about Swing music.

Tuesday's class

Today we discussed chapters 11-15 of the text and viewed the PBS documentary Celebrating Bird, followed by a good portion of the feature film Bird.  We then met Dr. Leo Schell and got to know one another a bit.

Monday's class

Today we focused on critical listening, as the first exam revealed that to be an area needing more attention. We heard Sarah Vaughan's Peg 'O My Heart and Mean to Me, plus Ella Fitzgerald's Nice Work if You Can Get It.  We then discussed chapters 1-10 in the text and then viewed the remainder of Round Midnight and discussed it.

Friday's class

After taking our first examination, we had reports from the class on swing music and then viewed most of the film Round Midnight, which we then discussed.

Thursday's class

We began class with critical listening, after which Professor Amanda Arrington performed the Felix Arndt tune, Nola.  We then discussed the workings of a modern piano, after which we returned to listening, which included Riverboat Shuffle and Singing the Blues (Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra), and Stampede (Fletcher Henderson).  We watched episode 4, The True Welcome, of the Ken Burns series Jazz and discussed its content and read, and discussed, poems by Countee Cullen and Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Wednesday's class

Dr. Virginia Houser performed for us in today's class, playing Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag (1899), Claude Debussy's Clair de Lune (1890/1905), and Le Petit Negre (1909), and making a presentation on ragtime music.  Our critical listening included these pieces performed by Doc Cheatham and Nicholas Payton: Black and Blue, How Deep Is the Ocean? and Jeepers Creepers.   We also reviewed for Friday's test, which will cover material from the lectures, videos, and listening.

Tuesday's class

Today we listened to a great deal of music, much of which was from the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz.  Selections included: Dippermouth Blues (Joe "King" Oliver), Grandpa's Spells (Jelly Roll Morton), Dead Man Blues (Morton), Black Bottom Stomp (Morton), Cake Walking Babies (Louis Armstrong/Red Onion Jazz Babies), Struttin' with some Barbeque (Armstrong), SOL Blues (excerpt--Armstrong), Potato Head Blues (excerpt--Armstrong), West End Blues (Armstrong), Weather Bird (Armstrong/Earl Hines).  From the cd entitled The Real Kansas City of the '20s, '30s, and 40's, we heard Kater Street Rag (Bennie Moten), Boot to Boot (Jesse Stone), Won't You Come Over to My House? (Julia Lee with the George E. Lee Novelty Singing Orchestra), Paseo Street Strut (Lee), and Blue Devil Blues (Blue Devils).  We then view almost half of Episode Three, Our Language, of the Ken Burns' series Jazz.