Part 1:

Read the assigned reviews by noted Jazz critics found in: Week 7 Introduction to Jazz Reviews

Pay attention to how the reviewers describe:

musical elements of the recordings

specific performance aspects

musical events they are talking about (often using personal reactions to the music)

Part 2: Choose a selection from Approved Jazz Recordings for the Jazz Review Assignment (below)

Pick a track you enjoy, that moves you emotionally and that you can hear

and understand what is going on musically (from what you have learned

in this class).

Listen to the recording a number of times so you can really know the music and things that happen within the performance.

Write your own review of the performance you choose.

musical elements you hear, and how they indicate the style of jazz being performed.

commentary about specific musical events heard in the recording you are reviewing.

descriptions of the musical events that move you, referring to common

human experiences that can relate the musical performance to a reader

that is not a music expert.

descriptions of musicians performing and the musical elements and events

heard on the recording. Use the professional reviews you read as models

for your review

Be familiar with important aspects of the recording such as

instrumentation, names and instruments of artists (you need to look up

the album that the track comes from), who plays solos, aspects of the

arrangement, etc….

Find creative ways to describe HOW the musical affects you emotionally

or inspires a reaction or comparison to another human experience is an

important component of this style of writing. This type of writing can

use words which could also describe “taste”, “feel”, or emotional

reactions which compare to other types of human experiences. For

example: “The saxophone sound is full bodied” (like a wine.) ”His solo

explorations have a searching quality” (like an explorer) ..”Her singing

style is relaxed and confident, even as she engages in fast, athletic

runs of notes..” (like a highly trained athlete)

Include personal observations and descriptions of the musical activity and the musician’s performances.

Make sure the following elements are included in your review:

Format

As you saw in the example reviews: list the album information: – title,

artist, record label (company) and album #, and a listing of musicians

performing including their instruments (look up the album that the track

comes from.)

First paragraph: Describe the artist/group and the project in the first

paragraph, with any important information that is related to the whole

project.

Middle Paragraphs (2 or 3): Should include the descriptions of the

individual track and musical events that move the writer (solos, group

interactions, etc

Final Paragraph: Your conclusion and reaction.

Grading:

Reviews need to be written in a professional style, following basic

standards for grammar, sentence structure, citations (if used), and

other considerations for a Research Paper style assignment. Your

review should follow the format listed above (#4) and include the

musical elements and personal observations and reactions listed in #3

above.

Approved Jazz Recordings for the Jazz Review Assignment

Black Bottom Stomp – Jelly Roll Morton

Struttin w some BBQ – Louis Armstrong

Singin the Blues – Frankie Trumbauer with Bix Beiderbecke

Stampede – Fletcher Henderson

Wrappin it Up – Fletcher Henderson

Body and Soul – Coleman Hawkins

Taxi War Dance- Count Basie

Lester Leaps In – Count Basie

Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday

Willow Weep for Me – Art Tatum

Seven come Eleven – 2:44 – Charlie Christian w Benny Goodman

Shaw ‘Nuff – Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie Misterioso – THELONIUS MONK

Line for Lyons – Chet Baker/ Gerry Mulligan

Django – Modern Jazz Quartet

Artistry in Rhythm – Kenton

Moanin’ – Art Blakey

Song for My Father – Horace Silver

Pent Up House – Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach

Four on Six – Wes Montgomery

Giant Steps- John Coltrane

Blue in Green – Bill Evans Trio

Fables of Faubus – Charles Mingus

Red Clay – Freddie Hubbard 12:09– from CTI album

Lonely Woman – Ornette Coleman

Air – Cecil Taylor

So What (live) Miles Davis 1964

Black Market (live) – Weather Report

Spain – Chick Corea

Tumbleweed – Michael Brecker

Black Codes– Wynton Marsalis