Cultivating the Antecedents of Barry Harris’ Concept of Movement As a Multidimensional Pedagogical Tool for Ontario Post-Secondary Jazz Curricula
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
REANIMATING DISSONANCE: CULTIVATING THE ANTECEDENTS OF BARRY HARRIS’ CONCEPT OF MOVEMENT AS A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PEDAGOGICAL TOOL FOR ONTARIO POST-SECONDARY JAZZ CURRICULA BRIAN JUDE DE LIMA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MUSIC YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO April 2017 © Brian Jude de Lima, 2017 Abstract ii One of the challenges faced in post-secondary jazz education across the GTA is finding qualified instructors who are familiar with dialogical methods for teaching African American jazz histories. More specifically, finding and hiring African American instructors whose musical genealogy can be delineated from “black” oral/aural histories and can draw from these historicities. Unless the narratives of this music are unpacked, analyzed and taught from its internal elements, which embodies the symbiosis and synthesis of African American dance, theatrics, poetics and American black English that encapsulates the “African American-ness” in jazz, then there remains a risk that this folk music will become more and more diluted. Consequently, it is my belief that current music educators across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) should consider alternative methods of pedagogy if students are to understand the historicity— the historical authenticity of this African American folk music. The idea for this study originated from my observation of a lack of “African American- ness”—African American narratives not being used as a pedagogical tool in post-secondary jazz curricula across the GTA. Therefore, this multi-case study will lead to the creation of an alternative curriculum that incorporates new teaching methods based on African American narratives. Dr. Barry Harris is one such educator who incorporates new teaching methods based on African American narratives. Therefore, I seek to unpack and analyze the musical and social upbringing that contributed to African American jazz pianist and educator Dr. Barry Harris’ primary contribution to jazz education, which is his concept of movement, while also expanding upon it. When these antecedents of Harris’ concept of movement have been analyzed, they will use them as a compliance for the cultivation and filling in of gaps in post-secondary jazz curricula across the GTA. Dedication iii To my “Holy Trinity”: The Father—Earl Rudolph “Bud” Powell, The Son—Dr. Barry Doyle Harris and the Holy Spirit—Sydney Francis de Lima. Your unsurmountable pool of knowledge will live forever within, and after me… iv Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Sundar Viswanathan PhD, and dissertation committee members, Professors Mark Chambers PhD and Ron Westray, for supporting me on this most galactic of endeavours. I would also like to thank my professors at York University, who were very gracious in sharing their insights: Professor Christina Petrowska Quilico, Professor Dorothy DeVal PhD, Professor James Rahn PhD, Professor Michael Coghlan, Professor Michael Marcuzzi PhD, and Professor Robert Witmer. I would also like to thank the outside members of my dissertation committee Professor Jeff Packman PhD and Professor Mary Fogarty PhD for their contributions to this manuscript. I especially would like to thank Tere Tilban-Rios for always helping me to stay alert to my graduate requirements. Next, I would like to acknowledge that this venture would not have been possible if it were not for the generous funding provided by York University, CUPE 3903 bursary/ scholarship fund, and the KMB internship provided by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. I want to thank family members, specifically the Krosel family for helping me on so many levels, lending me their constant assistance and support throughout my graduate studies; my brothers Vivian, Flavian, and Ian for being astute role models; the best man— Martino Lozej, my children Scarlett and Jude de Lima for their patience, and my parents Sydney and Angela de Lima for giving me life and their unconditional love. Finally, and most importantly, I wish to acknowledge my incredible and supportive wife Tanya de Lima, who displayed her brilliant editorial skills throughout both my Master’s thesis and PhD dissertation. Tanya, thank you for having copious amounts of patience in putting up with all my nonsense. I share this with you, as this accomplishment is every bit as much yours as it is mine. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... xii List of Examples .................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY ........................................................... 1 Background of the Study ....................................................................................................... 3 Barry Harris: Keeper of the Bebop Flame ........................................................................... 10 Analyzing Harris’ Concept of Movement ............................................................................ 10 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 13 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................ 15 Research Questions .............................................................................................................. 19 Rationale and Significance of the Study .............................................................................. 19 Organization of the Remainder of the Study ....................................................................... 22 Delimitations ........................................................................................................................ 23 Limitations ........................................................................................................................... 27 Definition of Terms .............................................................................................................. 30 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .................................................................. 39 Delimitations of the Review of the Literature ..................................................................... 39 Discussion of Frameworks ................................................................................................... 40 Jazz Methodologies .............................................................................................................. 41 vi Literature That Is Specific to Harris’ Concept of Movement .............................................. 49 Socio-Cultural Studies on Jazz ............................................................................................ 51 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 54 Analyzing Dissonance ......................................................................................................... 56 Text and Narrative as Symbol Systems ............................................................................... 60 Signifiers and Symbol Systems ........................................................................................... 64 Interrelated Arts Demonstrating Dissonance ....................................................................... 67 Music Education and the Interrelated Arts .......................................................................... 69 Post-Secondary Scholarship Across Canada and Within the GTA ..................................... 73 Jazz Education: A Paradox For Creativity? ......................................................................... 81 Summary and Scholarship ................................................................................................... 91 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 93 Research Design ................................................................................................................... 93 Part I: Barry Harris and the Antecedents of Movement ...................................................... 95 Part II: Questionnaire Survey ............................................................................................... 96 Part III: Interviews with GTA Instructors and Administrators ............................................ 97 Data Analysis Procedures .................................................................................................. 100 Triangulation ...................................................................................................................... 103 Ethical Considerations ....................................................................................................... 104 Reflections-in-Action ........................................................................................................