Short course
Discovering Jazz
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Dates and time:
23/02/2027 - 23/03/202719:00 - 21:00
Study format:
In-person weekly
Fees:
£190.00
What is jazz? Where did it come from? How did it develop? How can we develop and increase our enjoyment and appreciation of this exhilarating, yet sometimes seemingly intimidating art form? Presented by one of the most highly respected jazz double bass players in the country, this course will look at the origins of jazz music, provide strategies for listening to it, and survey the main styles of the genre in a way that is accessible both to those keen to ‘get into’ the music, and those who already enjoy listening to it. Illustrated with classic recordings and ‘live’ demonstrations by the tutor, this course will take a journey through the melody, harmony, syncopation, improvisation, and emotion of this globally significant musical style. This course could be the start of a lifelong love of jazz.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Courses starts Tuesday 23 February 2027
This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Tuesdays, 7.00-9.00pm.
Week 1: The origins: New Orleans and the Birth of Jazz
Week 2: How Jazz works: exploring how we can listen to, understand, and enjoy the music.
Week 3: From Dixieland to Swing
Week 4: From Be-Bop to Hard Bop
Week 5: Free, Fusion, and Contemporary Jazz
Course aims
To introduce the students to Jazz music, its history, and principal styles.
Course objectives:
- To introduce the students to the origins and development of Jazz music.
- To facilitate an understanding of how Jazz music works, and how the listeners might enhance their knowledge and enjoyment of the ways in which it is performed.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course students will be expected to be able to have gained the following skills:
- To foster an understanding of the development of Jazz as a musical genre.
- To be able to identify and describe key styles within the Jazz genre (e.g. Swing, Be-Bop, Fusion).
- To develop a feel for the ways in which Jazz musicians use the structures of the music in their improvisations.
- To be hip!
Level and demands
The Department’s Weekly Classes are taught at first year undergraduate level.
Teaching methods
Sessions will combine seminar-style lectures and presentations from the tutor, guided listening of recorded and ‘live’ musical examples, handouts of specific informative material where relevant, alongside class and group discussions of the music in a relaxed but focussed manner. Participation and interaction in the discussions will be encouraged, but no specific level of musical knowledge or ability will be assumed or required.
Assessment methods
This course is non-accredited, so there are no assessments.
Dr Steve Kershaw
An Honors Graduate of the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, double bassist Steve Kershaw has played in over 30 countries with luminaries ranging from Jamie Cullum to Stacey Kent, Andy Sheppard, and Evan Parker. Author of Improvisación: Una Guía Completa para el Músico de Rock, Blues y Jazz, and A New Tune a Day: Bass Guitar, his recordings have featured in the top ten of the UK jazz charts and critics’ Top Ten Records of the Year. Described as ‘a musical catalyst, bringing together players and styles from all over the world’ (Jazz Views), he has taught in Oxford since 1998.
Digital badge
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.
After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course fee | £190.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Recommended reading
Recommended reading is optional and you are not required to purchase these books to study this course.
Library facilities
All weekly class students may become borrowing members of the Rewley House Library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, for the duration of their course. Prospective students whose courses have not yet started are also welcome to use the Library for reference.
- More information about the Library can be found on the Bodleian Libraries website.
- This guide for Weekly Class students also provides further information.
Preparatory reading
- Jazz Modernism: From Ellington and Armstrong to Matisse and Joyce / Appel, A
- Jazz: An Introduction to the History and Legends Behind America’s Music / Blumenthal, Bob
- Miles. The Autobiography / Davis, Miles with Troupe, Quincy
- Bird Lives! The High Life and Hard Times of Charlie (Yardbird) Parker / Russell, Ross
- A New History of Jazz / Shipton, Alyn
- Jazz: A History of America’s Music / Ward, Geoffrey C. and Burns, Ken
Module code: O26P512MSW
How to enrol
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.