Expressionism

Expressionism is a form of jazz, usually modal in nature, where the intensity level is almost constantly high. The soloists typically engage in extended explorations of relatively simple thematic materal.

A Jazz Improvisation Almanac
Unit: Jazz Styles
Chapter: Modern Jazz

Characterization of Expressionism
Musicians

This is a preview of the educational program A Jazz Improvisation Almanac which is under development for the Outside Shore Music Online School. Feel free to browse this preview and learn what you can from it. For a more completed product, though, check out the original freely browsable jazz textbook, A Jazz Improvisation Primer.

Characterization of Expressionism

Archie Shepp (Copyright © 1998 Lester Levy)

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.

The classic example of expressionism was John Coltrane in the mid-1960's, on albums such as Ascension or Meditations. Here is an excerpt from one of his recordings:

As with freebop, a rhythm section is free in an expressionist performance to ignore chord progressions. Steady time need not be played, but an expressionist drummer usually plays with enough intensity to propel the soloist even when not playing in strict time, as in this example from tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler, with Sonny Murray on drums: