Soul of a Nation: Black American Popular Music, from R&B to Hip Hop

Through lectures, in-class discussions, and assigned readings, listening, and video viewing, this seminar will examine Black American popular music from the 1950s to the 1990s. This period includes both the Civil Rights and Black Power years, and extends from postwar R&B and gospel, to soul, soul jazz, funk, jazz-rock, disco, and early rap. In exploring this still-influential repertory of popular music, we will study questions and assumptions about the interrelationships between race, musical aesthetics and values, culture, politics, and society, and how this era of African American culture and this rich body of music has continued to shape Euro-American popular music and popular culture to the present day. The course will critically explore issues around definitions of Black music and musical aesthetics, as well as related discourses of authenticity, representation, cultural ownership, and appropriation.

Knowledge:

A candidate who successfully completes MUSV3110 will

• have an increased historical appreciation for the creative processes in, and debates surrounding, the culture and legacy of Black American popular music, 1950-1990
• have knowledge of both key issues in, as well as historical- and thematic-based knowledge of, Black American popular music
• have specialized knowledge of the critical theory and discourses around Black American popular music

Skills:

A candidate who successfully completes MUSV3110

• has the ability to present knowledge, findings and critical insight in a coherent and convincing form both orally and in writing
• demonstrates the acquisition of independent and appropriate research skills through written projects on a topic relating to the module
• can draw on concepts and skills encountered during the module and be able to use them critically to evaluate a wide range of related works

Combined lectures and seminars.

This class is structured as a seminar with discussion sessions and lectures being the central parts of each class. Weekly coursework includes: select readings; listening and viewing assignments related to readings; and in-class discussion of these assigned materials. There will be 9 such weekly short postings/assignments.

NOTE: Because this is a discussion-oriented seminar, all weekly assigned readings MUST be dutifully read before each week's class, as in-class discussion participation is a vital part of the pedagogical methods of the course.