12. Free Form
Avant-Garde
MUH 2116 Evolution of Jazz
Errol Rackipov
Free Jazz - Characteristics
There is no universally accepted definition of Free Jazz, and any proposed
definition is complicated by many musicians in other styles drawing on free jazz,
or free jazz sometimes blending with other genres.
Free Jazz uses jazz idioms but generally considerably less compositional material
than in most earlier styles
Improvisation is essential, and whereas in earlier styles of jazz the improvised solos were always
built according to a template provided by composed material (chord changes and melody), in free
jazz the performers often range much more widely.
Typically this kind of music is played by small groups of musicians.
Free jazz normally retains a general pulsation and often swings but without regular meter, and often
with frequent accelerando (gradually speeding up the tempo) and ritardando (gradually slowing
down the tempo), giving an impression of the rhythm moving in waves.
Often players in an ensemble adopt different tempi.
Rhythm is more freely variable but has not disappeared entirely.
It is also fairly common for free jazz songs to use an "open vamp" of one chord
for solos
In fact, many lead sheets of Ornette Coleman's compositions contain the instructions, e.g. "solos in
B-flat; disregard the form.”
Free Jazz - Characteristics
Free jazz is most easily characterized in contrast with what
we refer to here as "other forms of jazz", an umbrella
which covers ragtime, dixieland, swing, bebop, cool jazz,
jazz fusion, and other styles.
Some forms use composed melodies as the basis for group
performance and improvisation. Free jazz practitioners
sometimes use such material, and sometimes do not.
It would perhaps be best to call this modern or avant-garde
jazz, reserving the term "free jazz" for music with few or
no pre-composed elements.
Free Jazz - Summary
Consciously breaking away from the established
tradition
Melody of the tune - often absent
Rhythm – would not likely remain the same
throughout the performance
Improvisations - not based on a harmony of a
popular tune
“The more freedom allowed, the more discipline
necessary”
Ornette Coleman
Saxophonist
One of the major innovators of the free jazz
movement of the 1950s and 1960s.
1st known leader of the jazz avant-garde
One of the most controversial free jazz players
He initiated a controversy of strong, opposing
opinions from many of the other established
jazz leaders, including Miles Davis &
Charles Mingus
1st player to move all the way into harmonic
freedom
Approached the harmonic freedom through
improvisation
Had an extensive background in blues bands
Ornette Coleman was honored with a Grammy
award for lifetime achievement (2007)
Pulitzer Prize for music (2007)
Ornette Coleman Live at Bonnaroo 2007
Ornette Coleman
Cecil Taylor
Pianist
Extremely controversial, Taylor is generally
acknowledged as one of the inventors of free jazz.
Attended the New England Conservatory of Music
His music is a fusion of classical compositional
practices and jazz improvisations and can be heard as
either classical or jazz
His music is some of the most challenging in jazz,
characterized by an extremely energetic, physical
approach, producing exceedingly complex improvised
sounds, frequently involving tone clusters and intricate
polyrhythms. At first listen, his dense and percussive
music can be difficult to absorb. His piano technique
has often been likened to drums and percussion rather
than to any other pianists.
Cecil Taylor
John Coltrane
Saxophonist (tenor/soprano)
Massive influence on jazz, both mainstream and
avant-garde Video 3
One of the most dominant influences on post1960 jazz saxophonists and has inspired an
entire generation of jazz musicians.
Played with Miles Davis
Produced a large, dark, lush sound from his
instrument
Known for his long improvisations (sometimes 40
minutes in length)
Coltrane received a posthumous Special Citation
from the Pulitzer Prize Board (2007) for his
"masterful improvisation, supreme musicianship
and iconic centrality to the history of jazz."
Posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime
Achievement Award (1992)
John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Had great coordination between his fingering of the saxophone and his
tonguing
Throughout his career Coltrane's music took on an increasingly spiritual
dimension that would color his legacy. His conception of expression in jazz
became increasingly mystical, Gnostic and cathartic.
Although some jazz listeners still consider the late Coltrane albums to contain
little more than cacophony, many of these late recordings — among them
Ascension, Meditations and the posthumous Interstellar Space are widely
considered masterpieces.
Miles Davis & John Coltrane – “So What”
One of the most memorable performances in the jazz history
John Coltrane – “My Favorite Things”
One of Coltrane’s biggest hits
John Coltrane – “Giant Steps”
Very…interesting interpretation of one of Coltrane’s most popular tunes (“Audible
Architecture”)
Chicago Style of Free Jazz
Art Ensemble of Chicago
An avant-garde jazz ensemble that grew out of Chicago's AACM in the late 1960s
AEC is world-based modern jazz music being explored by this group
Notable for its integration of musical styles spanning jazz's entire history and for
their multi-instrumentalism, especially the use of what they termed "little
instruments" in addition to the traditional jazz lineup
• “Little instruments" can include bicycle horns, bells, birthday party noisemakers, wind chimes, and
a vast array of percussion instruments (including found objects).
The group also uses costumes and face paint in performance. These
characteristics combine to make the ensemble's performances as much a visual
spectacle as an aural one, with each musician playing from behind a large array of
drums, bells, gongs, and other instruments. When playing in Europe in 1969, the
group were using more than 500 instruments.
Art Ensemble Of Chicago live with Cecil Taylor (1984)
Chicago Style of Free Jazz
Sun Ra & Sun Ra Arkestra (a deliberate re-spelling of "orchestra")
Pianist, composer, arranger, synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his "cosmic
philosophy", musical compositions and performances
Quite a controversial jazz figure
Known by several names throughout his career, including Le Sonra and Sonny Lee
• Denied his connection with birth name, saying "That's an imaginary person, never existed … Any
name that I use other than Ra is a pseudonym.”
• He abandoned his birth name and took on the name and persona of Sun Ra (Ra being the ancient
Egyptian god of the sun). Claiming that he was of the "Angel Race" and not from Earth, but from
Saturn, Sun Ra developed a complex persona of "cosmic" philosophies and lyrical poetry that made
him a pioneer of afrofuturism as he preached "awareness" and peace above all.
He experimented with electronic instruments
1st composer in Chicago to employ techniques of collective improvisation in big-band
compositions
His music touched on virtually the entire history of jazz, from ragtime to swing music, from
bebop to free jazz
He was also a pioneer of electronic music, space music, and free improvisation, and was
one of the first musicians, regardless of genre, to make extensive use of electronic
keyboards.
Sun Ra Arkestra - Face the Music (1990)
Sun Ra -Brother From Another Planet - Pt.1
Free Jazz Controversy
Free jazz performers - considered the most
radical musicians since the bebop era
It remains less commercially popular than
most other forms of jazz.