WesMaps - Wesleyan University Catalog 2021-2022       Summer Session       Winter Session       Home       Archive       Search
CS92PROD
Music, Place, and Culture: An Exploration of African American Soundscapes and Traditions (FYS)
MUSC 120F
Fall 2021
Section: 01  

This course will explore African American soundscapes and traditions through the lens of New Orleans, a cradle of jazz, brass bands, Mardi Gras celebrations, and more. From the historically significant grounds of Congo Square to the mean streets of the Calliope; from the moving voice of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to the edgy flows of southern hip-hop artist Mystikal; from the sweet trumpet sounds of jazz pioneer Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong to the emphatic full body twerk of bounce artist Big Freedia; from the inspiring soulful sounds of Tank and the Bangas to the powerful sonic echoes of parading brass bands, New Orleans is a place where music and culture bubbles up from the streets and travels throughout the world.

New Orleans is also a place of perpetual marginalization stemming from systemic racist policies that often lead to life-threatening forms of policing and gentrification. These policies disproportionately affect the very African American communities that provide the world such rich, and sometimes healing, iconic sounds. New Orleans serves as an ideal place--bearing strong African American musical roots--to study the manner in which culturally invested people understand, negotiate, and produce space musically. Course participants will immerse themselves in the varied genres of African American music-making traditions through reading and writing assignments, in-class discussions, active music listening, video screenings, creative projects, and possible guest artist engagement. Music genres to be studied include jazz, gospel, soul, funk, blues, hip-hop, rap, zydeco, and bounce.
Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA MUSC
Course Format: Lecture / DiscussionGrading Mode:
Level: UGRD Prerequisites: None
Fulfills a Major Requirement for: (MUSC)
Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available

Last Updated on MAR-28-2024
Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email ? Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459