This assignment is a semester-long project. Listen to as much jazz as you can this semester and as many different styles. Read as much as you can about the music.

Then design your own album. Choose fifty-five to sixty-five minutes of music. Arrange it as you choose, then write extensive notes about your selections. The notes do not have to be a certain length. Five to seven typed, double-spaced pages is fairly typical. This assignment should be written in standard paragraph form.

Your album might take several forms, but your album must have some kind of theme. If you like big bands, you might wish to compile an album of big band selections. If you like be-bop, you might wish to do the same for that. Perhaps you like vocalists. You could compile an album in that direction. Maybe you would like to focus on a certain period, like W.W. II or 1930's Broadway or 1940's film. Perhaps you would like to focus on a specific artist or perhaps songs with a certain subject matter--songs that use the "heart" as a central image or idea or "seas and oceans" or "dance styles." Follow your tastes and use your imagination.

Your written explanations might also take several forms. Include information that you find most helpful in appreciating the music. Perhaps you will want to discuss the artists and place the selections in the context of their careers. Perhaps you will want to discuss the details of the recordings sessions. Perhaps you will want to discuss the songs themselves and their histories. At some point, you must discuss why you chose the music you did.

If you wish to use pictures or other graphics to enhance your project, that's fine too.

Please understand. You are not required to turn in the music. You are only required to turn in the song list and the liner notes. Some students prefer to burn a real CD, do artistic cover designs, etc. That's fine. If you do a particularly good job, I might give you extra credit. However, it is not a requirement for this assignment.

Be creative and have fun.

This assignment is due at 10:00 a.m. on April 15. I will not accept late finals.