Department: Honors Program

Professor: Mr. Harrison Ridley Jr.

About Harrison Ridley Jr.

Mr. Ridley is one of Philadelphia’s best known Jazz specialists. As a musicologist, musical collector, historian, and communicator, Mr. Ridley is often known as a “walking encyclopedia of jazz.” With a basement full of more than 8,500 records, 2,000 78s, 600 CDs, and over 100 books on history and music, Mr. Ridley has a vast understanding and appreciation of music, and his expansive collection of music history attests to his passionate interest in the subject. Mr. Ridley has been the recipient of more than 80 awards, including recognition from the Philadelphia City Hall, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and Who’s Who in America. Mr. Ridley also works as a consultant for the Library of Congress.

Mr. Ridley has taught at Temple University for 26 years, and this year partnered with the Honors Program to teach his course entitled, “African-American Music.” Through Temple University, Mr. Ridley hosts a radio show entitled, “The Historical Approach to the Positive Music,” which airs Sunday nights from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on 90.1 WRTI-FM. Mr. Ridley delivers more than 30 lectures a year at various universities around the country. Before becoming a professor at Temple University, Mr. Ridley worked for 39 years as a custodian and teacher in the Philadelphia School District.

Course Description

Mr. Ridley walks into the classroom wearing a button on his shirt that reads “got rhythm?” Pulling various records and pictures out of his bags to use in his lesson plan, Mr. Ridley begins teaching his students the history of African-American jazz musicians. “Through music you can learn a lot about humanity,” Mr. Ridley said. His African-American music course examines history, culture, economics, and geography through the study of music.

Throughout the course, Mr. Ridley expands his students’ knowledge of African-American music by examining the following topics: the transfer of music from Africa to the Western World, the effects of slavery on music, and the music of the Harlem Renaissance. The lives and music of Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, and Billie Holliday are some of the various artists studied throughout the course.

In the first class of the semester, Mr. Ridley teaches his students how to listen to music, allowing students with no musical background and those with a strong background to start on the same page. Mr. Ridley wants to ensure that every student in his class who has an interest in music feels welcome, even if the student does not have any previous knowledge of musical studies.

There are multiple means through which Mr. Ridley teaches his classes. He requires his students to read two books throughout the semester: I am the Blues by Willie Dixon and Quincy Jones’ autobiography, Q. These books provide a basis for class discussions. Musical pieces, videos, and lectures by Mr. Ridley, as well as by guest lecturers, are all important aspects of this course. Students are also required to attend a live jazz concert or jazz club in order to extend the lesson plan beyond the walls of the classroom.

“Music is serious because it’s our expression,” Mr. Ridley said. Music surrounds us everyday, everywhere we go. Through movies, the radio, and especially the I-pod, music has become an institution of the 20th century. Yet Mr. Ridley’s class reminds students that music is not simply a form of entertainment, but more importantly, a means of communication. Music teaches us about history, about identity, and about life.