The Story of Jazz Course

This four-part course traces jazz history from its origins in New Orleans to today's jazz landscape, exploring pioneering musicians like Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, the rise of bebop, jazz-rock and the contemporary European jazz scene. The course is designed for concert-goers and jazz enthusiasts wanting to deepen their knowledge.

The four lessons follow a chronological path. Lesson 1 covers jazz's origins and its growth into the popular music of the 1920s and 1930s. Lesson 2 examines how bebop transformed jazz from pop music into art music, and the new styles that emerged in the 1950s. Lesson 3 focuses on 1960-2000, including jazz-rock. Lesson 4 concludes with today's jazz landscape, where globalisation plays a central role.

Course dates are 25 January, 1 February, 15 February and 22 February 2027. Four concerts at Paradox are included in the course fee; dates will be announced later. Lessons take place at Bibliotheek LocHal, the Stemmingmakerij.

Instructor is Koen Graat, programmer at jazz venue Paradox in Tilburg and jazz history lecturer at Fontys Conservatorium Tilburg. He also programmes the Jazz in Duketown festival and co-hosts the podcasts JazzChangers and Hoezo Jazz?! for VPRO Vrije Geluiden and NPO Luister.