ESP Biography

An examination of the influence of British artists on pop, rock, blues, and jazz in the mid-20th century, and their overall impact on global culture. We will begin with American blues and roots influences, explore the rise of Beatlemania, and the subsequent success of groups like The Rolling Stones, Cream, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, and many others. Of course, we will listen to characteristic and pivotal songs and performances from the period, and watch interviews from the musicians and producers at the center of the revolution.

We will build up the fundamentals of tonal music and its applications to composition and songwriting. We'll start with chord construction, and learn methods of developing effective chord progressions and musical forms in order to create and resolve various sources of tension. We hope to immediately contextualize the concepts presented, so students will be writing and sharing throughout the session. Students are encouraged to bring staff paper, though this is not a requirement.