Music professor Harvey Fitzer on the history of rock
By: Christina Lieffring
Harvey Fitzer, adjunct professor of music, occasionally picks up his guitar, plucking it in his small studio has he talks. He plays everything from classical to rock, blues and folk guitar and this summer is teaching a beginner group guitar class, private lessons, the History of Rock and Roll and playing in his own band.
History of Rock and Roll covers popular music from the 1950s to the 1990s although Fitzer says the name is a “misnomer.”
“It should be known as the history of popular music […] however, rock and roll sounds more attractive,” he said.
The class starts in the 1950s when rhythm and blues, country and pop music blended “to a kind of explosion,” which we know as rock and roll and follows that influence through the decades into the 90s. Fitzer sees rock and roll as an “umbrella” that includes everything from Chuck Berry and The Beatles to Beyoncé. Sub-genres such as punk rock, classic rock or hip hop are labels created by record companies.
“I have a favorite saying from one of my students,” said Fitzer. “She said, ’Labels are for cans.’ So don’t try to pick your music just by the labels.”
The class also uses rock and roll as a medium for examining the history of those time periods in the U.S. and the U.K.
“We cover how it was a music [that] was almost like a mirror of what was happening to society,” he said.
Fitzer also offers private guitar lessons, which he recommends for advanced students or those who want to learn a specific skill such as improvisation, finger picking or music theory. If students want to learn a specific song, they can bring it to class and he will teach it to them.
“My teaching style is eclectic,” he said. “I try to tailor it to the student’s interests.”
Some private lesson hours are offered through the college for class credit; however, due to budget constraints, their registration is limited. Those who would like private lessons but don’t need the credit can contact Fitzer directly to arrange time and payment.
For beginners, he recommends taking the group guitar lessons, which is limited to 15 people and covers strumming and basic chords.
“[The class] is where people are getting together and they’re playing together so it’s more fun that way,” he said.
His band, Drunkard’s Dream, released an album entitled “Midwest Dust Devils,” which is composed of a four song medley of bluegrass and folk-rock. They play at the Westport Saloon on April 17, the Record Bar on April 26 and will participate in an auction to benefit community radio station KKFI. The radio station will play their music April 23 at 7:30 a.m, and people can bid to have them play at an event of their choice.
On the music scene in Kansas City, Fitzer said, “There [are] a lot of bands. There [are] a lot of places to play coming up all the time. Seems to be a lot of folk-type bands that use acoustic instruments and with more ethnic influence like gypsy punk/folk.”
And for those who want to join the scene, his advice is simple: practice regularly to build muscle memory.
“It would be better to practice every day for 15 or 20 minutes or even less than one time a week for three or four hours,” he said, “In other words, you can’t cram the guitar like you can in other classes.”
Contact Christina Lieffring, staff reporter, at clieffri@jccc.edu.