Origins of Jazz

A look at the early decades of the music we now call jazz. We will start our exploration in New Orleans, where multiple ethnicities and several musical traditions all converged to give birth to this uniquely American musical genre. We will then take our story to Chicago, in the 1920's, and wind up in New York, which will remain the epicenter of jazz from the 1930's up until the present day. Genres examined will include dixieland, stride piano, and early swing and big band music. We'll encounter such colorful personalities as Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Jelly Roll Morton, and many more. Vintage audio recordings, video clips, and live performances from the instructor, Seth Kibel, will make these programs swing like the music itself!