Final answer:
Modal jazz is a style emphasizing improvisation over modes rather than complex chords, characterized by a slower harmonic rhythm and a focus on melody and atmosphere. It represents a significant departure from the chord-based structure of previous jazz styles, providing musicians with more flexibility and creative freedom.
Step-by-step explanation:
Modal jazz is a style that emerged in the late 1950s, characterized by extended improvisation over simplified chord progressions or a series of modes, rather than the complex chord changes of previous jazz forms. In modal jazz, musicians often explore a single mode for an extended period, providing a different framework for improvisation that departs from the more rigid structure of bebop, which was prevalent before 1958. This approach allows for greater freedom within the composition, encouraging musicians to explore depth and emotion over harmony. Characteristics of modal jazz include the use of musical modes instead of chords as a harmonic framework, slower harmonic rhythm, and an emphasis on melody and atmosphere.
Modal jazz was a departure from earlier jazz styles which were more chord-based and formulaic in nature. The most notable example of modal jazz is Miles Davis's Kind of Blue album, which signified a turning point in jazz history and popularized the genre. The innovation of modal jazz can be likened to the modernism in other art forms during the early 20th century, which sought to challenge and expand upon traditional methods and practices.