Final answer:
Free jazz is known for spontaneous improvisation, atonality, and dissonant harmonies. It often features flexible meter and tempo, extensive improvisation, and uses non-Western musical influences, exemplified by artists such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Free Jazz (Avant Garde)
Free jazz, often considered avant-garde, is a subgenre of jazz that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. It is characterized by its divergence from traditional jazz harmony and rhythm. Unlike earlier forms of jazz, which were rooted in precise melodic structures and rhythm, free jazz is known for its spontaneous improvisation, atonality, and often dissonant harmonies. Musicians such as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane were pioneers of this style, stretching the boundaries of what was considered jazz by using unconventional time signatures or foregoing them altogether in favor of free rhythmic flow.
Some key features of free jazz include a flexible approach to meter and tempo, extensive improvisation that can include collective improvisation by multiple musicians, and new approaches to instrumental technique. Free jazz also frequently incorporates influences from non-Western musical traditions, contributing to its unique sound profile that might use modal scales or microtonal pitches.
While some listeners find free jazz challenging due to its lack of traditional structure and tonality, it remains a significant movement in the history of jazz, showcasing the artists' exploration of new musical expressions and freeing them from the constraints of established norms.