Description
Jazz, an American music style that originated from the African American communities of New Orleans in the 19th and early 20th centuries, will serve as the essence or the influence for this course. Music as a form of expression and liberation has been a large part of African and African American culture, and Jazz was a glamorous moment. The Jazz Scene here in Los Angeles was isolated to Central Avenue, known back then as “The Avenue.” A site of forward-thinking musicianship, the Avenue is where we begin our exploration of “glamour” as a material effect and aesthetic category. The goal of the course is not to reimagine the history of the Jazz movement and analyze the moments in contemporary culture it has inspired. We will move through history, locations, and culture in propulsive syncopated rhythms, with moments of improvisation, using film, fashion, and sound to create our ensemble. This course will ask of you to breathe new life into history with feeling. How do certain sounds, materi