Jazz: How It Works and Why It Matters

This course introduces the essential elements that define jazz—including syncopation, jazz sounds, improvisation, swing, and form—and demonstrates how musicians use these elements to create spontaneous, expressive performances. Through engaging discussion and guided listening to classic recordings, we explore how jazz works, how it has evolved over more than a century, and why it remains one of the world’s most innovative and enduring musical traditions. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to the video for 30 days.