Main article: Free jazz

Free jazz, or avant-garde jazz, is a subgenre that, while rooted in bebop, typically uses less compositional material and allows performers more latitude in what they choose to play. Free jazz's greatest departure from other styles is in the use of harmony and a regular, swinging tempo: Both are often implied, utilized loosely, or abandoned altogether. These approaches were rather controversial when first advanced, but have generally found acceptance — though sometimes grudgingly — and have been utilized in part by other jazz performers.

There were earlier precedents, but free jazz crystalized in the late 1950s, especially via Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor, and probably found its greatest exposure in the late 1960s with John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Pharoah Sanders, Sam Rivers, Leroy Jenkins, Don Pullen and others.

While perhaps less popular than other styles, free jazz has exerted an influence to the present. Peter Brötzmann, Ken Vandermark, William Parker, Derek Bailey and Evan Parker are leading contemporary free jazz musicians, and musicians such as Coleman, Taylor and Sanders continue to play in this style. Keith Jarrett has been prominent in defending free jazz from criticism by traditionalists in recent years.

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is very diverse. jazz is the biggest influence but i am a sucker for a good song and i also love alot of straightahead songwriting. free jazz is another element i really like and am fortunate enough to have a few firends who are well on the free jazz scene in london and new york. but these two groups do totally different styles of free jazz... i will coame back and share who they ar eand what they do another time.

 good to see posts here and hello paul!

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Hello.

My love of improvised and experimental jazz started way back in the 70's with Company and the coming together of Iskra 1903, and from then on I was hooked on improvised jazz sessions, musicians. My great personal love is the music of Anthony Braxton and keep a close eye on the work of John Zorn. The excitement of watching a truly good improvised performance knows no bounds. Better to see live performance and watch the musicians at their craft to watch how the musicians bounce off of each other. I also love bepop, and the culture which has grown around it. .

However improvised jazz is my first choice. Having said  that you will see that my musical interests are diverse.

I show here a photo of Anthony Braxton playing sax...

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Friday, June 16, 2006

orphy robinson is a true free radical

    ..... there is a side to this man that several know about ,
but many of his myspace fans aren't even aware that he is a giant on the free jazz scene.. 
i almost hate using that word cos it is misunderstood and makes many run for the hills..

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can safely be housed under the free jazz label. i do get what you mena about jazzimprov tho qand would perhpas put evan parker under that house. i hate that word box.

steve beresford is not popular. not to my knowledge with the general masses.. perhpas you mena it in a smaller context.

 how nice of you to be acitve here pip.

do you play an instrument?

 regards estelle

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In the area of the music that Beresford involves himself, he is held in high esteem. Very popular. But, yes, not with the mainstream. I did mean that.

No. Estelle, I play no instrument. Another missing fragment in my life.

It's well worth subscribing to the www.DownTownMusicGallery.com mailing list. If not to buy, but for the review information alone, for each CD, on each mailing. The site is something else as well. Although it is mainly for areas of alternative modern/contemporary/experimental/improvised/obscure  and FREE jazz.

Because of doom and gloom which engrossed me over the past year I've been a bit solitary on care2. So I was slow in finding this group.

Glad to be here.

Pip.

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my ideaof free jazz is that it has a large element of improvisation but that it also breaks free from time to time (or all the time) from cerian elements of melody, chordal structure

for instance milesdavis kind of blue has a large element of improv ( i believe from cerian sources anyway) but certainly doesnt fall into the free jazz thing

my likes

john coltranes 'first meditations' ... there is certainly freedom here in theplaying and improv , but well underpinned and coming back to melody from time to time

easier is alice coltrane 'journey in satchidananda' where pharoah saunders ispretty free but the whole sound is medodic and lovely

all for now

ps any recommendations for now jazz that has soul ... too much jazz seems too mental/heady for me these days .. so am listening mostly to indian classical/spiritual/sacred music ..any ideas ?

Ish x

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so lovely to see you both here an dpip yes.. glad i am that you found the group! i am really busy at the mo sorting the album sleeve proffs etc and lots of other stuff.. teaching and doing alot of workshops.. no time to even think about writing a new song for now.. all biz till in the box and packagedetc.. but i am enjoying browsing by and keeping up to speed.. ish you seem to have a broad taste in muic and i reckon as long as we are open to new tngs and are willing to try them outthen we can only grow. not only as beings but as listeners and appreciators and musicians.

x est

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free jazz is what i love

for me , its the reason to listen to jazz

it is the spirit unleashed

it is revolution at its core

when blown through a saxaphone

by coltrane , shepp or sanders

it is the breath of life

it is the music the angels play in heaven

om , alleluia

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