Lawrence Gushee
Encyclopedia
Lawrence "Larry" Gushee is an American
musicologist, who specializes in medieval music
and early jazz
.
He was born in Ridley Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. He studied at Haverford College
, Yale University
, University of Dijon, and the Manhattan School of Music
. He earned his doctorate at Yale in 1959, with the dissertation "The Musica Disciplina of Aurelian of Réôme
: a critical edition and commentary." He taught at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Yale, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
, where he is now Professor Emeritus.
Gushee was twice a Guggenheim Fellow, once in Europe to study sources of medieval music (particularly 14th century French music), and once relating to research into early jazz. In his jazz research he studied the role of the Freddie Keppard
's band's tours of the vaudeville
circuit in the diffusion of jazz between 1914 and 1918, before he settled in Chicago.
Gushee also plays traditional jazz and ragtime
, performing as a clarinet
ist in the New Golden Rule Orchestra.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musicologist, who specializes in medieval music
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
and early jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
.
He was born in Ridley Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He studied at Haverford College
Haverford College
Haverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, University of Dijon, and the Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
. He earned his doctorate at Yale in 1959, with the dissertation "The Musica Disciplina of Aurelian of Réôme
Aurelian of Réôme
Aurelian of Réôme was a Frankish writer and music theorist. He is the author of the Musica disciplina, the earliest extant treatise on music from medieval Europe.- Life :...
: a critical edition and commentary." He taught at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Yale, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he is now Professor Emeritus.
Gushee was twice a Guggenheim Fellow, once in Europe to study sources of medieval music (particularly 14th century French music), and once relating to research into early jazz. In his jazz research he studied the role of the Freddie Keppard
Freddie Keppard
Freddie Keppard was an early jazz cornetist.Keppard was born in the Creole of Color community of downtown New Orleans, Louisiana. His older brother Louis Keppard was also a professional musician. Freddie played violin, mandolin, and accordion before switching to cornet...
's band's tours of the vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
circuit in the diffusion of jazz between 1914 and 1918, before he settled in Chicago.
Gushee also plays traditional jazz and ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
, performing as a clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist in the New Golden Rule Orchestra.
Books
- Pioneers of Jazz: The Story of the Creole Band, Oxford University Press 2005, ISBN 0195161319