Thursday, June 15, 2006

Jazz Styles: Modern Jazz: Expressionism

I guess I've been an expressionist all along...

Jazz Styles: Modern Jazz: Expressionism:
"Another style of music popularly included under the 'free jazz' umbrella that has roots in more traditional forms is one I will call expressionism. This style is based more on modal jazz than on bebop, often employing a very simple head and single key center to serve as a springboard for improvisation. Musicians in this style of jazz are usually concerned with expressing their selves as fully as possible, and the music is a means to this end. Expressionists often tend to play very long solos, and indeed it is not atypical to find an entire album or concert set consisting of one composition.

This style of jazz is noted for its intensity, and it is indeed sometimes known as 'energy music'. It is worth noting that many expressionists are highly spiritual people, and their music is often likened to 'speaking in tongues'. Soloists often exploit screams and other vocal effects and extended techniques, as opposed to the more linear improvisations of freebop. As in freebop, they rarely limit themselves to playing any specified harmonies, although the theme-solos-theme form of arrangement is usually still followed, if only loosely."

This describes TDU to a T.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'd say that's pretty spot on!

Kid Ornery said...

I like the idea that when people ask what we play we can answer "expressionist jazz"...
that makes me smile.