History of JazzA m e r i c a ’ s C l a s s i c a l

M u s i c

Avant-Gard or Free Jazz

Lecture Eight:

Listening Example: Chronology by O. Coleman; performed by Ornette Coleman Quartet

Free JazzFree jazz is an umbrella term describing a variety of styles and artists.

Performances of free jazz are usually lacking in traditional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic practices

Non-tradtional characteristics

Textural improvisation, rather than melodic

Creation of non-traditional melodic lines

Extreme manipulation of pitch and tone quality

Polytonal nature (more than one key played simultaneously)

Traditional harmony abandoned

Piano usually omitted

Walking bass line usually omitted

Swinging drum patterns avoided; drum patterns create swirling undercurrent of activity and interaction with horns

Non-steady tempos

Occasional use of non-Western instruments

Free JazzTraditional characteristics

Emphasis on collective improvisation

Solo improvisation often encouraged

Use of background riffs behind soloists

Examples of carefully composed and notated arrangements

Examples of normal time-keeping roles in bass and drums

Free-spirited bassist and composer

Influenced by a variety of sources

Duke Ellington

Charlie Parker

Claude Debussy & Maurice Ravel

Gospel

Rhythm & blues

Established Jazz Workshop concert series with Max Roach in 1950s

modeled after successful chamber music concerts featuring new composers and young performers

formal, yet relaxed setting; introduced many new collaborative efforts

Known for his variety of compositions for solo bass, jazz trio and string quartet, brass and jazz bands, and symphony orchestra

Charles Mingus

Listening Example: Original Faubus Fables by C. Mingus; performed by Charlie Mingus Quartet

Remains the leading figure in free jazz

His breakthrough album, Free Jazz

Coined the term to be used to describe this style

Established him as primary innovator and developer of genre

Provided a springboard to free jazz movement

Similar to Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool and Kind of Blue

Some of his compositions are “catchy”

Many are performed by other musicians

One of a few composers of free jazz to significantly contribute to general jazz repertoire

Ornette Coleman

Listening Example: Chronology by O. Coleman; performed by Ornette Coleman Quartet

One of the few pianists to play free jazz

His debut album, Jazz Advance, suggested by The Penguin Guide to Jazz as part of its “Core Collection”

His tone poems are considered among the very best 20th century compositions

Composed for various ensembles using a variety of jazz and orchestral instruments

His playing style has been described as turbulent, active, dramatic and energetic

Sells few recordings; concerts regularly sell-out; visual performer that cannot be adequately captured in audio recordings

Cecil Taylor

Listening Example: Rick Kick Shaw by C. Taylor; performed by Cecil Taylor Quartet

Focus on collective textural improvisation; occasional hard bop performances

Embraced world musics, especially West African instruments, into performances

Used traditional African costuming; poetry recitation; light-hearted dramatic skits in performances

Flagship group of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians

Chicago-based alliance of free jazz musicians; conduit for avant-gard music

Organzing and promoting concerts and recordings of its members

Providing education in music performance and business

Art Ensemble of Chicago

Listening Example: What’s to Say by J. Jarman; performed by Art Ensemble of Chicago

Similar to Mingus musically, influenced from many sources that are often found in his improvisations

Hard bop of McCoy Tyner (pianist for Coltrane Quartet)

Classical music of Mozart & Chopin

Impressionist music of Debussy & Ravel

Art Tatum’s stride piano

Boogie-woogie of Meade Lux Lewis

The gospel tinged sounds of Horace Silver

Country and folk music

20th Century avant-gard school of Stockhausen & Cage

Variety of performance styles and venues

Played with avant-gard woodwind artist Chas. Lloyd in 1960s; Miles Davis in late 1970s

Technique of classically-trained pianist, performed with many symphony orchestras

Performed 2+ hours solo without program or composed pieces

Often improvisations evolve into one-hour uninterrupted piece

Keith Jarrett

Listening Example: Semblance by K. Jarrett; performed by Keith Jarrett

Jazz/Rock or Fusion

Next Lecture:

Listening Example: Mister Magic by R.S. MacDonald & W. Salter; performed by Grover Washington Jr.

SourcesCollier, Tom. History of Jazz. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, Iowa: 1997

Gridley, Mark C. Concise Guide to Jazz, fifth edition. Pearson-Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ: 2007

Hasse, John Edward, ed. Jazz: The First Century. William Morrow Publishers, New York, NY: 2000

Rosengarten, Lewis. Jazz in Short Measures. Authors Choice Press, Lincoln, NE: 2001

Zorn, Jay D. & August, June. Listening to Music, fifth edition. Pearson-Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ: 2007