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Area of Study 4: Popular Music and Jazz

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are the key features of the three tracks from Courtney Pine's Back in the Day?

Courtney Pine: three tracks from Back in the Day (Inner State (of Mind), Lady Day and (John Coltrane), Love and Affection). British jazz fused with soul, hip-hop and reggae, improvisation, riffs, sampling and groove.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, three tracks from Courtney Pine's Back in the Day. Covers British jazz fused with soul, hip-hop and reggae, saxophone improvisation, riffs, sampling, groove and the techniques the appraising exam rewards.
14 min answer →

What are the key features of the three tracks from Kate Bush's Hounds of Love?

Kate Bush: three tracks from Hounds of Love (Cloudbusting, And Dream of Sheep, Under Ice). Art-pop using the Fairlight sampler, drum machines, layered production, word-painting and atmospheric texture.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, three tracks from Kate Bush's Hounds of Love. Covers art-pop, the Fairlight CMI sampler, drum machines, layered production, word-painting and the atmospheric textures the appraising exam rewards.
14 min answer →

What is the Popular Music and Jazz area of study, and what styles do its three set works represent?

Area of Study 4 Popular Music and Jazz: the three set works (Courtney Pine's Back in the Day, Kate Bush's Hounds of Love, The Beatles' Revolver), the styles of jazz, art-pop and 1960s rock, and the techniques of riff, improvisation and studio production.
An overview of Area of Study 4 (Popular Music and Jazz) for Edexcel A-Level Music. Introduces the three set works by Courtney Pine, Kate Bush and The Beatles, the styles of jazz, art-pop and 1960s rock, and the techniques of riff, improvisation and studio production the appraising exam rewards.
13 min answer →

What are the key features of the four songs from The Beatles' Revolver?

The Beatles: four songs from Revolver (Eleanor Rigby, Here There and Everywhere, I Want to Tell You, Tomorrow Never Knows). 1960s rock, studio production (tape loops, reverse recording, ADT), harmony, melody and structure.
A focused answer on the Edexcel A-Level Music set work, four songs from The Beatles' Revolver. Covers 1960s rock, pioneering studio production (tape loops, reverse recording, ADT, varispeed), harmony, melody, structure and the techniques the appraising exam rewards.
15 min answer →