COURSE DESCRIPTION

This ensemble course focuses on the music of James Brown and his band, with particular emphasis on rhythm, groove, and the role of individual parts within a collective sound. Students will engage with transcriptions, rehearsal practices, and live performance preparation, while also developing skills in concert planning and promotion. Through hands-on work, students will deepen their understanding of funk as both a musical and cultural phenomenon as well as learn the necessary components of a successful live performance.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will develop the following skills:

• Professional collaboration: working respectfully and effectively with musicians, technicians, and artists, showing attentiveness, reliability, and focus in creating live performances.

• Musical preparation and delivery: selecting, arranging, rehearsing, refining, and performing repertoire with a high level of professionalism.

• Audience engagement: understanding how to connect with listeners through thoughtful set design, smooth transitions, and the creation of memorable, musical moments.

• Musical skills: recognizing the role and importance of a groove in contemporary music and developing confidence and creativity as a performer.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND RECOMMENDED STUDY RESOURCES

-       Access to MuseScore 4

-       Slutsky, Allan “Dr. Licks” and Chuck Silverman, The Funkmasters: The Great James Brown Rhythm Sections 1960–1973.

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Grades will be based on the following:

A | A  93-100 | A- 90-92 |

B | B+ 87-89 | B  83-86 | B- 80-82 |

C | C+ 77-79 | C  73-76 | C- 70-72 |

D | D+ 67-69 | D  63-66 | D- 60-62 |

F | Less than 59 |

Transcriptions (10 @ 20pts) 200 points

Students will complete 10 detailed transcriptions of assigned recordings. These should include rhythm, melody, harmony, and articulation as appropriate for assigned instrument/voice. Accuracy and formatting are graded.

Compositions (2 @ 100pts)  200 points

Students will write and arrange two original Yacht Rock-inspired songs. Pieces should incorporate groove-based structures, call-and-response elements, and clear parts for rhythm section instrumentation. Arrangements will be rehearsed and performed.

Rehearsals: 200 points

Students are expected to attend all rehearsals on time, contribute positively, and arrive prepared (parts learned, materials ready). Grading reflects attendance, preparedness, and collaborative effort.

Performance: 400 points

Throughout the semester, students will plan and execute a final concert. Grading includes set list design, instrumentation, stage plot, input/output sheet, audio and venue planning, promotion, and execution of the live performance.

INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments are to be submitted/turned in by the beginning of the class session when they are due—including assignments posted in Canvas. Incompletes will only be assigned in extremely unusual circumstances.

Late assignments completed after the due date will be penalized ten points per day. Assignments will close a week after the due date at which point no credit will be awarded.

*Please note: all due dates/times are PST (Pacific Standard Time)

AI STATEMENT

You are allowed to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini Pro 1.5, GrammarlyGo, Perplexity, etc) to generate ideas, but you are not allowed to use AI tools to generate content (text, video, audio, images) that will end up in any work submitted to be graded for this course. If you have any doubts about using AI, please gain permission from the instructor.

COURSE OVERVIEW

Module 1 – Orientation

·       Overview of ensemble expectations, rehearsal structure, and grading.

·       Reading: The Funkmasters, pp. 5–10

Module 2 – Intro to Transcription

·       Transcription #1

Module 3 – The Early Years

·       “Think”

·       “I Don’t Mind”

·       “Out of Sight”

·       Transcription #2

Module 4 – 1965 Breakthrough

·       “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”

·       “I Got You (I Feel Good)”

·       Transcription #3

Module 5 – 1966–67 Funk Innovations

·       “Cold Sweat”

·       “I Got the Feelin’”

·       Transcription #4

Module 6 – 1968 Rhythmic Shifts

·       “Funky Drummer”

·       Transcription #5 due

Module 7 – Original Composition #1

·       Student-written funk piece presented and rehearsed.

·       Transcription #6 due

Module 8 – Early 1970s Funk

·       “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”

·       “Super Bad”

·       Transcription #7 due

Module 9 – Expanding the Funk

·       “Funky Women”

·       “The Payback”

·       Transcription #8 due

Module 10 – Original Composition #2

·       Student-written funk piece presented and rehearsed.

·       Transcription #9 due

Module 11 – Concert Preparations

·       Stage plot, I/O sheet, set list finalized.

·       Transcription #10 due

Module 12 – Concert Performance