▼ Charlie Parker, as one of the main innovators of bebop, had an obvious impact on the Beat poets. Parker's innovations in bebop can clearly be seen as an influence on Beat writers and on Jack Kerouac especially, both in his writing and in his method of writing. Kerouac’s new jazz-writing style, in turn, influenced many writers of his generation. The concept of bebop’s spontaneous improvisation and the sounds it produced, both on intellectual and emotional levels and as a representation of a vibrant form of rebellion, had a radical impact on the sound of a generation of writers. The spontaneity in sound, and the uniqueness of each bebop solo as it occurs in the moment, was emulated in writing by listeners like Kerouac. Likewise, in Beat writing, it becomes important for the reader to respond to the emotions being conveyed by the sound and rush of the words on the page. It was also important that the listener—and reader—be rooted in musical traditions, as bebop musicians and beat writers, despite the seemingly meaningless technical virtuosity and spontaneity of their music and poetry, often quoted other works and composers as well as thematic ideas from other pieces.Kerouac’s unique sound became a way of identifying his voice in a similar way that Parker’s innovative use of rhythm characterized and typified his music. Although each was heavily influenced by others in various traditions, as well as by the time period in which they lived, they emerged with styles unique enough to revolutionize both the music and the literary world. Advisors/Committee Members: Siek, Stephen.

▼ The aim of this study was to detect, using electroencephalography, whether or not individuals respond differently to modalities within Western tonal music. Specifically I investigated whether or not hemispheric dominance had any effect on the participants' responses to specific musical selections, and if men and women respond differently. Electroencephalography records neurons firing throughout the brain and picks up this electrical activity on the scalp. In this experiment two electrodes were placed behind the subject's ears, two on the subject's forehead, one on the scalp, and a ground electrode on the forearm. The results indicated that there was no effect of music on a particular hemisphere or brainwaves, although right-brained females and left-brained males showed the greatest response to all types of music. Advisors/Committee Members: Siek, Steven.