Course Details

Listening to jazz, for some, can be like watching a sports event without knowing the rules of the game. If jazz seems to lack beauty and melodic sense, or seems chaotic and frantic, it may be that the listener is not familiar with the "rules" of the song that is being performed. Jazz fans don't need to be musicians any more than sports fans need to be athletes. But there are crucial concepts to know about, including "song form," the roles of the various instruments, and interactions such as "fours" and "eights." Guided listening may open our minds and ears.