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Music

The Blues (Online)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Tracing the history and explaining the music, with recorded audio and video and live examples. Completely different from previous course with the same title. Featured artists: Booker T, B B King, Tam White, W C Handy, Albert Ammons, Eric Clapton, Sam Chatmon and many more.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

Students will need to be able to confidently use videoconferencing software be comfortable with using websites.The course will be delivered via Zoom sessions.

Special Information

In order to participate in this course, you will need access to a computer with a speaker and an internet connection.  You should have;

• An up-to-date web browser (Google Chrome recommended) 

• Microphone (ideally headset) and Webcam 

• Strong Internet connection

Content of Course

1. An Overview, from the 19th to the 21st century.

2. The roots of the Blues: Africa and America.

3. The Mississippi Delta; juke joints with the occasional W. C. Handy.

4. Country Blues, bluegrass.

5. Piano blues and boogie woogie, classic female blues, jazz.

6. Electric blues, jump jive.

7. Rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, rock.

8. Rhythm and blues, gospel blues, soul.

9. Regional scenes, including the British Blues revival.

10. The present day.

Teaching method(s)

This course will be delivered via live online Zoom sessions. Ideally you should have;

  • An up-to-date web browser (Google Chrome recommended)

  • Microphone (ideally headset) and Webcam

  • Strong Internet connection

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • Appreciate the sociological background of the Blues.

  • Be able to apply an analytical approach to examples of the music.

  • Appreciate a wide range of styles of the Blues.

  • Identify, appreciate and analyse  individual artists.

  • Acquire knowledge of the history of the Blues.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

  • Jazz Anecdotes, Bill Crow, OUP 1990

  • Lady Sings the Blues, Billie Holiday, Penguin Books

Class Handouts

HTML pages of links sent by email after every session.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.