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From Sound to Sense: A Modern Exploration of Music Appreciation, History, and Evaluation

From Sound to Sense: A Modern Exploration of Music Appreciation, History, and Evaluation

Author(s): Jay Sweet

Edition: 1

Copyright: 2025

Pages: 274

Edition: 1

Copyright: 2025

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SECTION ONE: Classical and Concert Music
CHAPTER 1: The Middle Ages and Gregorian Chant
CHAPTER 2: The Renaissance (1450-1600)
CHAPTER 3: The Baroque Era (1600-1750)
CHAPTER 4: The Classical Era (1750-1820)
CHAPTER 5: The Romantic Era and the German and Austrian Composers (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 6: More European Romantic-Era Masters (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 7: The Romantic-Era Opera (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 8: Early American Concert Music (1750-1900)
CHAPTER 9: Twentieth-Century Classical Composition
CHAPTER 10: Twentieth-Century American and Nationalistic Classical Music (1900-1950)
CHAPTER 11: Twentieth-Century Experimentalism (1900-2000)

SECTION TWO: The Roots of American Popular Music
CHAPTER 12: The African Influence on Music and Culture
CHAPTER 13: Blues and the Music of the Black Church
CHAPTER 14: Early Jazz and Stride Piano
CHAPTER 15: The Swing Era
CHAPTER 16: The Great American Songbook, Broadway, and Jazz Singers
CHAPTER 17: Bebop, Cool Jazz, and Free Jazz
CHAPTER 18: Latin, Soul, Fusion, and Smooth Jazz
CHAPTER 19: Early American Country Music
CHAPTER 20: American Folk Music

SECTION THREE: The Roots of Rock and Roll
CHAPTER 21: Boogie-Woogie, Jump Blues, R&B
CHAPTER 22: Early Rock and Pop of 1950s
CHAPTER 23: The 1960s: Folk-Rock, Blues, Motown, Soul, and Psychedelic Rock
CHAPTER 24: The Music of the 1970s
CHAPTER 25: The Music of the 1980s and Beyond

Jay Sweet

Jay Sweet is an American writer, educator, musician, podcaster, and researcher. He is the author of Ray Brown: His Life and Music (Equinox Books, 2025), the first official biography of the legendary jazz bassist. His other works include A History of American Music: An Origin Story, 1750–1950 (Kendall Hunt, 2021), The Music of 1964: The 50 Most Impactful Albums (Innovative Inc., 2024), and From Sound to Sense: A Modern Exploration of Music Appreciation, History, and Evaluation (Kendall Hunt, 2025). A noted interviewer and contributor, Sweet has written articles and reviews for Oxford University Press, Jersey Jazz Magazine, DownBeat, and the Annual Jazz Review. His podcasts—30 Albums for 30 Years: 1964–1994 and The Jazz Real Book—have further solidified his reputation in the music community.

As a musician, Sweet has released solo records and collaborated with jazz greats including Ted Curson and Norman Simmons. He has been a longtime member of the award-winning band Platinum and its sister group Platinum Soul for nearly two decades. His latest project, Atmospheric Trio, released its debut album, Following Polaris (Adhyâropa Records), in 2025.

In addition to his work as a writer and musician, Sweet is a dedicated educator. He studied Jazz Performance and Composition at Berklee College of Music and holds a Master’s in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University. He teaches music history, bass, and guitar at Monmouth University and has also taught at Rutgers University and Middlesex College. Since 2004, Sweet has served as the owner and director of Sweet Music Academy, which has educated more than 5,000 students under his leadership.

SECTION ONE: Classical and Concert Music
CHAPTER 1: The Middle Ages and Gregorian Chant
CHAPTER 2: The Renaissance (1450-1600)
CHAPTER 3: The Baroque Era (1600-1750)
CHAPTER 4: The Classical Era (1750-1820)
CHAPTER 5: The Romantic Era and the German and Austrian Composers (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 6: More European Romantic-Era Masters (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 7: The Romantic-Era Opera (1820-1900)
CHAPTER 8: Early American Concert Music (1750-1900)
CHAPTER 9: Twentieth-Century Classical Composition
CHAPTER 10: Twentieth-Century American and Nationalistic Classical Music (1900-1950)
CHAPTER 11: Twentieth-Century Experimentalism (1900-2000)

SECTION TWO: The Roots of American Popular Music
CHAPTER 12: The African Influence on Music and Culture
CHAPTER 13: Blues and the Music of the Black Church
CHAPTER 14: Early Jazz and Stride Piano
CHAPTER 15: The Swing Era
CHAPTER 16: The Great American Songbook, Broadway, and Jazz Singers
CHAPTER 17: Bebop, Cool Jazz, and Free Jazz
CHAPTER 18: Latin, Soul, Fusion, and Smooth Jazz
CHAPTER 19: Early American Country Music
CHAPTER 20: American Folk Music

SECTION THREE: The Roots of Rock and Roll
CHAPTER 21: Boogie-Woogie, Jump Blues, R&B
CHAPTER 22: Early Rock and Pop of 1950s
CHAPTER 23: The 1960s: Folk-Rock, Blues, Motown, Soul, and Psychedelic Rock
CHAPTER 24: The Music of the 1970s
CHAPTER 25: The Music of the 1980s and Beyond

Jay Sweet
Jay Sweet

Jay Sweet is an American writer, educator, musician, podcaster, and researcher. He is the author of Ray Brown: His Life and Music (Equinox Books, 2025), the first official biography of the legendary jazz bassist. His other works include A History of American Music: An Origin Story, 1750–1950 (Kendall Hunt, 2021), The Music of 1964: The 50 Most Impactful Albums (Innovative Inc., 2024), and From Sound to Sense: A Modern Exploration of Music Appreciation, History, and Evaluation (Kendall Hunt, 2025). A noted interviewer and contributor, Sweet has written articles and reviews for Oxford University Press, Jersey Jazz Magazine, DownBeat, and the Annual Jazz Review. His podcasts—30 Albums for 30 Years: 1964–1994 and The Jazz Real Book—have further solidified his reputation in the music community.

As a musician, Sweet has released solo records and collaborated with jazz greats including Ted Curson and Norman Simmons. He has been a longtime member of the award-winning band Platinum and its sister group Platinum Soul for nearly two decades. His latest project, Atmospheric Trio, released its debut album, Following Polaris (Adhyâropa Records), in 2025.

In addition to his work as a writer and musician, Sweet is a dedicated educator. He studied Jazz Performance and Composition at Berklee College of Music and holds a Master’s in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers University. He teaches music history, bass, and guitar at Monmouth University and has also taught at Rutgers University and Middlesex College. Since 2004, Sweet has served as the owner and director of Sweet Music Academy, which has educated more than 5,000 students under his leadership.