NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Modal jazz

Modal jazz is jazz played using musical modes rather than chord progressions. For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified with the purpose of making music. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family. ... The trumpet is the highest brass instrument in register, above the French horn, trombone, baritone, euphonium, and tuba. ... Side and front views of a modern double bass with a French bow. ... Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ... In music, a scale is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic, define the pitches. ... Typical fingering for a second inversion C major chord on a guitar. ...

History

An understanding of modal jazz requires knowledge of musical modes. In bebop as well as in hard bop, musicians used chords to provide the background for their solos. A song would start out with a theme, which would introduce the chords used for the solos. These chords would be repeated throughout the whole song, while the soloists would play new, improvised themes over the repeated chord progression. By the 1950s, improvising over chords had become such a dominant part of jazz, that sidemen at recording dates were sometimes given nothing more than a list of chords to play from. Creating innovative solos became exceedingly difficult. In music, a scale is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic, define the pitches. ... Bebop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Hard bop is an extension of bebop (bop) music which incorporates influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano playing. ... In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer (solo is an Italian word literally meaning alone). ... This does not cite any references or sources. ...

In the later 1950s, spurred by the experiments of composer and bandleader George Russell, musicians began using a modal approach. They chose not to write their songs using chords, but instead used modal scales. This meant that the bassist, for instance, did not have to 'walk' from one important note of a chord to that of another - as long as he stayed in the scale being used and accentuated the right notes within the scale, he could go virtually everywhere. The pianist, to give another example, would not have to play the same chords or variations of the chords, but could do anything, as long as he stayed within the scale being used. The overall result was more freedom of expression. George Allen Russell (born June 23, 1923) is an American jazz composer and theorist. ...

In fact, the way that a soloist creates a solo changed dramatically with the advent of modal jazz. Before, the goal of a soloist was to play a solo that fit into a set of chords. However, with modal jazz, a soloist must create a melody in one scale (typically), which could be potentially boring for the listener. Therefore, the goal of the musician was now to make the melody as interesting as possible. Modal jazz was, in essence, a return to melody.

Theory

It is possible for the bassist and the pianist to move to notes within the mode that are dissonant with the prime (tonic) chord of that mode. For example: within the C ionian mode, the notes of the scale are CDEFGABC, with C being the root note. Other non-diatonic notes, such as the note B♭, are dissonant within the C ionian mode, so that they are not used in a non-modal jazz song when playing the chord C. In a modal song, these other notes may be used once the overall sound of C ionian is entrenched within the listener's mind. This allows for greater harmonic flexibility and some very interesting harmonic possibilities. A bassist is a musician who plays a double bass or electric bass (also referred to as bass guitar). ... A pianist is a person who plays the piano. ... In music, a consonance (Latin consonare, sounding together) is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance, which is considered unstable. ... The Ionian mode is a musical mode or diatonic scale. ... The root (basse fondamentale) of a chord is the note upon which that chord is perceived or labelled as built or centered, the root of a chord in root position or normal form. ... In Music theory, the diatonic major scale (also known as the Guido scale), from the Greek diatonikos or to stretch out, is a fundamental building block of the European-influenced musical tradition. ...

Among the significant compositions of modal jazz were "So What" by Miles Davis and "Impressions" by John Coltrane. "So What" and "Impressions" follow the same AABA song form and were in D Dorian for the A sections and modulated a half step up to E-flat Dorian for the B section. The Dorian mode is the natural minor scale with a raised sixth. So What is the first track on the 1959 Miles Davis album Kind of Blue. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Impressions is a Jazz standard composed by John Coltrane. ... â€œColtraneâ€ redirects here. ... Due to historical confusion, Dorian mode can refer to two very different musical modes or diatonic scales. ... A minor scale in musical theory is a diatonic scale whose third scale degree is an interval of a minor third above the tonic. ...

In improvising within a modal context, a musician would basically start by thinking about playing the notes within that specific mode (e.g., D Dorian: D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D). It is also possible to take several notes from that mode (though not all) to create smaller scales or note choices for improvisation. For example, in D Dorian, one may play the notes of the D minor triad. This is what Miles Davis does at the beginning of his solo in "So What". The player may even choose any of the triads available in that mode: C major, D minor, E minor etc. One thing to note is that choosing an upper structure triad using the 9th, 11th and 13th of the chord will result in tension. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... An upper structure triad (sometimes known simply as an upper structure) is a triad comprising extensions. ...

The player may also use the many different pentatonic scales within the scale such as C major pentatonic, F major pentatonic and G major pentatonic. Note that these scales are also relative A minor, D minor and E minor pentatonic, respectively. In music, a pentatonic scale is a scale with five notes per octave. ...

Compositions

Miles Davis recorded one of the best selling jazz albums of all time in this modal framework. Kind of Blue is an exploration of the possibilities of modal jazz. Included on these sessions was tenor saxophonist John Coltrane who, throughout the 1960s, would explore the possibilities of modal improvisation more deeply than any other jazz artist. The rest of the musicians on the album were alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, pianists Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly (though never on the same piece), bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. (Kelly, Chambers, and Cobb would eventually form the Wynton Kelly Trio.) This record is considered a kind of test album in many conservatories focusing on jazz improvisation. The compositions "So What" and "All Blues" from Kind of Blue are considered contemporary jazz standards. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Kind of Blue is a jazz album by musician Miles Davis, released on August 17, 1959. ... â€œColtraneâ€ redirects here. ... Julian Edwin Cannonball Adderley (September 15, 1928 â€“ August 8, 1975), originally from Tampa, Florida, was a jazz alto saxophonist of the small combo era of the 1950s and 1960s. ... William John Evans (better known as Bill Evans) (August 16, 1929 â€“ September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and one of the most famous of the 20th century; he remains one of the major influences on post-1950s jazz piano. ... Wynton Kelly (1931–1971) was an American jazz pianist, born in Jamaica. ... Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. ... Jimmy Cobb (born January 20, 1929 in Washington D.C.) is an American jazz drummer. ... So What is the first track on the 1959 Miles Davis album Kind of Blue. ... All Blues is a jazz composition by Miles Davis first appearing on the influential 1959 album Kind Of Blue. ... Jazz standard refers to a tune that is widely known, performed, and recorded among jazz musicians. ...

Jazz | Jazz genres For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Acid jazz Avant-jazz Bebop Dixieland Dixieland revival Calypso jazz Chamber jazz Contemporary jazz Cool jazz Creative jazz Crossover jazz European free jazz Franchesca jazz Free funk Free jazz Groove jazz Gypsy jazz Hard bop Jazz blues Jazz-funk Jazz fusion Jazz rap Jazz rock Kansas City Jazz Latin jazz...

Acid jazz - Asian American jazz - Avant-garde jazz - Bebop - Crossover jazz - Dixieland - Calypso jazz - Chamber jazz - Cool jazz - Free jazz - Gypsy jazz - Hard bop - Jazz blues - Jazz-funk - Jazz fusion - Jazz rap - Latin jazz - Mainstream jazz - Mini-jazz - Modal jazz - M-Base - Nu jazz - Smooth jazz - Soul jazz - Swing - Trad jazz - West Coast jazz Acid jazz (sometimes groove jazz) is a musical genre that combines jazz influences with elements of soul music, funk, disco and hip hop. ... Asian American jazz is a musical movement in the United States begun in the 20th century by Asian American jazz musicians. ... Avant-jazz (also known as avant-garde jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines elements of avant-garde art music composition with elements of traditional jazz. ... Bebop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... In the wake of fusions decline in the mid-1970s, jazz artists who continued to seek wider audiences began incorporating a variety of popular sounds into their music, forming a group of accessible styles that became known as Crossover Jazz. ... Dixieland music is a style of jazz. ... Calypso jazz is a style of music and improvisation that combines elements of calypso music with elements of traditional jazz. ... Chamber jazz is a genre of jazz based around small, acoustic-based ensembles where group interplay is important. ... CD reissue of Daviss 1957 LP Birth of the Cool, collecting much of his 1949 to 1950 work. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Hard bop is an extension of bebop (bop) music which incorporates influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano playing. ... Jazz blues is a musical style that combines jazz and blues. ... Jazz-funk is a sub-genre of jazz music characterized by a strong back beat, electrified sounds. ... Jazz fusion (or jazz-rock fusion or fusion) is a musical genre that merges elements of jazz with other styles of music, particularly pop, rock, folk, reggae, funk, metal, R&B, hip hop, electronic music and world music. ... Jazz rap is a fusion of alternative hip hop music and jazz, developed in the very late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Latin jazz is the general term given to music that combines rhythms from African and Latin American countries with jazz harmonies from the United States. ... Mainstream jazz is a genre of jazz music that was first used in reference to the playing styles of musicians like Buck Clayton among others; performers who once heralded from the era of big band swing music whom did not abandon swing for bebop, instead performing the music in smaller... Originating in Haiti during the 1960s, the mini-jazz movement was influenced by other Caribbean music styles, the British Invasion, and French pop. ... M-Base is a form of modern jazz music which reached its peak in the mid-to-late-80s and early 90s. ... Nu-jazz (sometimes electro-jazz) was coined in the late 1990s to refer to styles which combine jazz textures and sometimes jazz instrumentation with electronic music. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Soul jazz was a development of hard bop which incorporated strong blues and gospel influences in music for small groups featuring keyboards, especially the Hammond organ. ... Swing music, also known as swing jazz, is a form of jazz music that developed during the 1920s and had solidified as a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States. ... Trad jazz, short for traditional jazz is a music genre popular in Britain and Australia from the 1940s onward through the 1950s and which still has enthusiasts today. ... West coast jazz is a form of jazz music that developed around Los Angeles at about the same time as hard bop jazz was developing in New York City, in the 1950s and 1960s. ...

Encyclopedia > Modal jazz

Contents

History

Theory

Compositions

External links