Free Jazz (1959-1970); Post-bop (1964-1968); Fusion (1969-1990)

Free Jazz – If Bebop was a reaction to Swing, Cool was a reaction to the reaction, and Hard Bop was a reaction to the reaction to the reaction, then Free Jazz was a reaction to all that 

1.

Swing, Bebop, Cool, and Hard Bop improvisations were based on predetermined chord progressions, standard forms, and choruses (see Lesson Plan 2) while Free Jazz improvisations were generally not based on predetermined chord progressions, forms, and choruses  

a.

Free Jazz musicians “freed” themselves of these “constraints,” improvising solely on the emotion of the moment 

b.

with Free Jazz, traditional values of melody, harmony, and rhythm were discarded, providing more improvisational freedom for the soloist; preconceived notions of what jazz was “supposed” to be (and even what music was “supposed” to be) were laid to the wayside 

2.

Free Jazz allowed for the exploration of new tonal colors, that is, new harmonies (or lack of same), sounds, and musically expressed emotions  

3.

from its earliest roots (i.e., the music of West African slaves), jazz has been related to and represented freedom; embedded in Free Jazz was the freedom: 

a.

to explore new musical horizons 

b.

to improvise in “unorthodox” ways 

c.

from the musical past 

d.

from traditional melodies 

e.

from common practice scales, chords, and rhythms 

4.

Free Jazz pushed the limits of what musicians could play and what audiences could accept 

5.

Free Jazz widened the emotional and expressive parameters of jazz 

6.

discarding European chord progressions, Free Jazz became even more Afrocentric than Hard Bop; it reached back to the ethnic roots of the music, becoming modern, in a sense, by returning to the primitive 

1.

the size and instrumentation of Avant Garde/Free Jazz groups were more varied than those of prior jazz genres (e.g., Ornette Coleman’s recording Free Jazz in 1960 featured a “double quartet,” that is, two quartets playing together each having bass and drums and two horns)⁸ 

2.

the music was not based on traditional chords, forms, or structures 

3.

the music was not tonal, that is, based on an accepted, somewhat predictable series of notes and chords; instead it was atonal, that is not based on an accepted, somewhat predictable series of notes and chords 

4.

the concept of pitch varied according to musical circumstances, personal feelings of the performers, context, accompanying rhythms, etc., not what notes sounded “right” with the chord being played at the moment; intonation (i.e., playing “in tune” as opposed to playing “in the cracks” between the notes on the piano) was a matter of context and expression 

5.

the use of rhythm was highly varied, often with no steady pulse; melodies and phrases served as the impetus for rhythm and pulse and vice versa 

1.

Ornette Coleman, alto saxophone (1930-2015)

Video on how Ornette Coleman changed the direction of jazz in 1959 

2.

Cecil Taylor, piano (1929-2018)

Video of Cecil Taylor improvising freely 

3.

Art Ensemble of Chicago led by trumpet player Lester Bowie (1941-1999)

Video of the Art Ensemble of Chicago playing "Pan Burundi" 

"Enter Evening," Cecil Taylor (IHJ), and/or "Full Force," Art Ensemble of Chicago(IHJ), and/or "Lonely Woman," Ornette Coleman (JIA)⁹ 

Post-bop is a style of jazz that emerged in the mid-1960s, blending the structures of bebop and hard bop with the more abstract harmonies of modal jazz and free jazz. Rather than completely abandoning traditional forms, post-bop musicians stretched them, using non-functional chord progressions, flexible rhythms, and highly conversational group improvisation. 

1.

 Key Characteristics of Post-bop 

a.

Blending Styles – Post-bop is characterized by its synthesis of bebop, hard bop, modal jazz, and avant-garde jazz elements. 

b.

Harmonic Complexity – Musicians explored extended harmonies, non-diatonic chords, and modal playing, creating a richer harmonic palette. 

c.

Rhythmic Complexity – While still rooted in swing rhythms, post-bop often incorporates mixed meters, polyrhythms, and more free-flowing rhythmic structures. 

d.

Improvisational Freedom – Post-bop encourages more open-ended improvisations, with musicians often pushing the boundaries of melodic and harmonic exploration. 

e.

Reaction to Free Jazz – Post-bop can be seen as a response to the free jazz movement, offering a middle ground between the traditional structures of bebop and the complete freedom of free jazz. 

2.

Important Post-bop Figures 

a.

Miles Davis,(1926-1991) – His Second Great Quintet (with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams) is considered the seminal force in post-bop. Albums like Miles Smiles and E.S.P. are prime examples.

Video of the Second Great Miles Davis Quintet playing "E.S.P." (1965) 

b.

John Coltrane, tenor and soprano saxophones (1926-1967) – His modal explorations and improvisational intensity were highly influential in the development of post-bop. 

c.

Wayne Shorter, tenor and soprano saxophone (1933-2023) – His compositions and saxophone playing were central to the post-bop sound. 

d.

Herbie Hancock, piano (b. 1940) – His work with the Second Great Miles Davis Quintet and his solo albums showcase the harmonic and improvisational depth of post-bop.