The Cool Jazz Era: Music, Musicians and Culture

This course explores the emergence, development, and enduring influence of Cool Jazz, one of the most significant movements in jazz history. Associated with the West Coast, Cool Jazz represented a sophisticated musical response to the intensity of bebop, emphasizing lyrical improvisation, carefully crafted arrangements, subtle dynamics, contrapuntal textures, and a relaxed rhythmic feel. We examine the social, cultural, and artistic forces that shaped the music while learning about the musicians who defined the style, including Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Lennie Tristano, Lee Konitz, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne, Jimmy Giuffre, and the Modern Jazz Quartet.  Through guided listening, video performances, and class discussion, we will explore the evolution of Cool Jazz from the groundbreaking Birth of the Cool recordings through the flourishing West Coast scene of the 1950s and the music's lasting influence on contemporary jazz around the world. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.