1 -What was the purpose of the State Department Jazz tours? What did the government of the United States hope to accomplish with the tours and how were they influenced by the “Cold War?” What specific groups were involved and what countries did they visit?
2 – What was the influence of Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk on the development of John Coltrane as a mature artist? What obstacles did he have to overcome?
3 -Miles Davis is often mentioned as a “collaborative artist” who relied heavily on the contributions of other musicians within his circle for the creation of his “sound.” Who were Miles Davis’ most important collaborators in the late 1950’s? What did they contribute to his great success in this period?
4 -How did the emergence of independent African nations in the late 1950’s influence the direction of Jazz? What musicians were most drawn to Africa and the realization of the musical connection of Africa to the U.S.?
5 – What was Billy Strayhorn’s contribution to the Duke Ellington Orchestra? How did his collaboration with Duke Ellington evolve during the 1950’s?
6 -How did Jazz respond to the Civil Rights movement? What musicians and compositions most directly addressed the struggle for Civil Rights? What role did Jazz play in supporting the movement?
