We'll focus on a roughly chronological path following lines of study based in African-American traditions of music and writing. We will effectively be reading American history through the sonic lens" of those who make music and those who write in relation to that music. Subject areas of our study and reference could involve blues and early jazz, the emergence of modern gospel, rhythm and blues, post-WWII "jazz" liberated from early nomenclature, soul, funk, and hiphop, all of these original North American modes of music-making, with injections from Caribbean and African sources. Our research will make use of multiple written and recorded works. We'll view select film and video, focused on the music and musicians. And, at every step we'll attend to the music, and our own practices of listening, learning to read what we hear-and to hear what we read. A collective experiment in asking us to listen with difference, the seminar will attempt to open up a renewed orientation to the world we live in by way of a developing awareness of its music.

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