Outline

Overview

Jazz History 2 provides the student with a theoretical and practical understanding of the Jazz styles developed, played and composed from the early 1930s to the late 1940s and the historical context in which it was created. The classes will be structured around the use of sound recordings, archival footage with lectures combined group discussion/analysis. Students will be expected to be able to recognise, write about and discuss the major musical contributors of this period and their music, the cultural and socio-economic influences upon and of this music. Aural examinations will be of the 'Blindfold Test' variety. A listening list, suggested reading and research resources, video links and audio examples will be provided.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Jazz
Credit points	3
Prerequisites ?	JAZZ1021
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Phillip Slater, phillip.slater@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Written assignment Written essay investigating a key historical recording, issue or cultural trend.	60%	Formal exam period Due date: 12 Jun 2026 at 23:59	1500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-person written or creative task	Early Feedback Task Multiple Choice Questionnaire	10%	Week 03 Due date: 12 Mar 2026 at 13:00	20 minutes	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Written test	Music Assignment Aural identification, stylistic analysis, and annotation of selected historical recordings.	30%	Week 13 Due date: 31 May 2026 at 23:59	30 minutes	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Assessment is designed to build scholarly skills progressively across research, listening, and academic writing.

Early Feedback Task: This assessment evaluates students’ source-based learning and engagement with a key course resource. Students will answer multiple-choice questions that require recall of details. Successful completion demonstrates reading, historical knowledge, and the ability to link musical and cultural-historical arguments to specific examples presented in the chapter.

Written Task: a 1500-word essay that constructs a clear argument about a style, artist, recording, or historical debate from 1940–1975, supported by close listening and appropriately referenced primary/secondary sources.

Curated and Annotated Playlist Task: demonstrates historically informed listening—selecting recordings strategically, sequencing them purposefully, and annotating each track to explain its musical features, context, and relevance to course themes.

Assessment criteria

The following assessment criteria are used for written work in this unit of study:

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Demonstrates original, incisive work grounded in thoughtful engagement with research materials (recordings, scores, archival/press sources, books, journal articles and serials) and demonstrates outstanding research methodology with exemplary citation and attribution practice.
Distinction	75 - 84	Delivers strong and persuasive, well-structured work that integrates primary evidence with relevant secondary research and consistently accurate referencing.
Credit	65 - 74	Presents a clear argument using appropriate primary examples and supporting secondary sources, with generally sound analysis and mostly reliable citation.
Pass	50 - 64	Meets basic requirements with limited or uneven use of primary and secondary materials, resulting in partial analysis and inconsistent referencing.
Fail	0 - 49	Fails to meet minimum standards due to inadequate engagement with primary and/or secondary research, weak or absent argument/evidence, and/or serious referencing problems.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Unless you have an approved extension (e.g., a simple extension or special consideration), late work will incur a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks for the assessment for each calendar day (or part-day) it is late. Work submitted more than 10 calendar days late will receive a mark of zero. If you are approved for a simple extension, you receive 5 calendar days without penalty; if you submit after the extended due date, the usual late penalties apply.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Birth of Bebop	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Bebop & Ideology	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Cool Jazz & West Coast Aesthetics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Hard Bop, Soul Jazz & Church	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Modal Jazz & 1959	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Post-Bop	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Free Jazz & Avant-Garde	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Civil Rights / Black Power	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Fusion Part 1	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Fusion Part 2	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	ECM & Globalisation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	From Modern to Post-Modern	Lecture (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recording: Lectures for this unit of study will be recorded and made available to students via the Learning Management System (LMS)
Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned. The Dean, Head of School or professor most concerned may determine that a student fails a unit of study because of inadequate attendance. Alternatively, at their discretion, they may set additional assessment items where attendance is lower than 90%.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 3 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 60-75 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Gioia, T. (2021). The History of Jazz (Third ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190087210.001.0001

Monson, I. T. (1996). Saying something: Jazz improvisation and interaction. University of Chicago Press.

Shipton, A. (2007). A new history of jazz (2nd ed.). Continuum

Monson, I. T. (2007). Freedom sounds: Civil rights call out to jazz and Africa. Oxford University Press.

DeVeaux, S. (1997). The birth of bebop: A social and musical history. University of California Press.

The Cambridge companion to jazz. (2002). (M. Cooke & D. Horn, Eds.). Cambridge University Press.

The Routledge companion to jazz and gender (2023). (J. Reddan, M. Herzig, & M. Kahr, Eds.). Routledge

Henry, C. B. (2021). Global jazz: a research and information guide. Routledge.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Identify and understand musical features, key artists, and important recorded works of major jazz developments from bebop to fusion (c. 1940–1975).
LO2. Be able to complete a short evidence-based written work that links a specific historical recording/artist/venue/community to broader social, technological, and institutional forces shaping jazz between 1940 and 1975.
LO3. Demonstrate academic integrity through accurate author attribution, correct in-text citation, and the production of a properly formatted reference list/bibliography using appropriate sources.
LO4. Critically evaluate competing historical narratives and value claims (e.g., “cool,” authenticity, “freedom,” commercialism, globalisation) by synthesising evidence from recordings, primary sources, and scholarly literature.
LO5. Gain an awareness of the key musical developments in jazz between 1940-1975, and develop an underderstand of the socio-cultural and economic context in which the music is situated.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Student feedback will be actively invited throughout the semester and responded to in a timely, respectful way through adjustments to teaching, learning activities, and assessment support.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

JAZZ1022: Jazz History 2

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links