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MODAL JAZZ
The term 'modal jazz' - whilst not adhering strictly to the correct rules lay down by musicologists and jazz purists - has come to define a certain type of jazz record. Tracks labeled as being 'Modal' generally have an exotic, eastern feel and/or have an unusual time signature or are in waltz time.
Modal jazz as a genre is generally accepted to have started in 1959 with Miles Davis' classic modal album 'Kind of Blue'. Davis rejected the quick-fire, complex chord changes of be-bop by keeping the harmony static - keeping loosely within certain modes. John Coltrane would also explore modal jazz in his long pieces on the albums Impressions, Coltrane, Crescent, etc.
Many other jazz artists such as Bill Evans, Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter, George Russell, etc delved into modal jazz in its strictest forms... however the term 'Modal Jazz' now means something altogether different.
Here is our Top 50 Modal Jazz Hall of Fame - featuring the best tracks in the modal tradition as it has now become:
JAMES CLAY: NEW DELHI
(A DOUBLE DOSE OF SOUL - RIVERSIDE 1960)
JAMES CLAY: PAVANNE
(A DOUBLE DOSE OF SOUL - RIVERSIDE 1960)
YUSEF LATEEF: REVELATION
(THE CENTAUR & THE PHOENIX - RIVERSIDE 1960)
JFK QUINTET: NIKKI POO
(YOUNG IDEAS - RIVERSIDE 1961)
PAUL HORN: MIRAGE FOR MILES
(THE SOUND OF PAUL HORN - COLUMBIA 1961)
WALT DICKERSON QUARTET: DEATH & TAXES
(THIS IS WALT DICKERSON - NEW JAZZ 1961)
YUSEF LATEEF: CHINQ MIAU
(EASTERN SOUNDS - MOODSVILLE 1961)
YUSEF LATEEF: LOVE THEME FROM SPARTACUS
(EASTERN SOUNDS - MOODSVILLE 1961)
CURTIS AMY: LIBERIA
(WAY DOWN - PACIFIC JAZZ 1962)
CURTIS AMY & DUPREE BOLTON: NATIVE LAND
(KATANGA! - PACIFIC JAZZ 1962)
JIMMY HEATH: GEMINI
(TRIPLE THREAT - RIVERSIDE 1962)
JOHN WRIGHT: STRUT
(MR. SOUL - PRESTIGE 1962)
JOHNNY GRIFFIN QUARTET: 25 1/2 DAYS
(THE KERRY DANCERS - RIVERSIDE 1962)
JOHNNY GRIFFIN QUARTET: OH, NOW I SEE
(THE KERRY DANCERS - RIVERSIDE 1962)
PAUL HORN: ABSTRACTION
(PROFILE OF A JAZZ MUSICIAN - COLUMBIA 1962)
TUBBY HAYES QUINTET: DOWN IN THE VILLAGE
(DOWN IN THE VILLAGE - REDIAL 1962)
ELVIN JONES/JIMMY GARRISON SEXTET: HALF AND HALF
(ILLUMINATION - IMPULSE! 1963)
JACK WILSON QUARTET: NIRVANA & DANA
(JACK WILSON QUARTET - ATLANTIC 1963)
LES MCCANN & THE JAZZ CRUSADERS: DAMASCUS
(JAZZ WALTZ - PACIFIC JAZZ 1963)
SAHIB SHIHAB: CAMPI'S IDEA
(SUMMER DAWN - ARGO 1963)
RONNIE MATHEWS: IHCI BAN
(DOIN' THE THANG! - PRESTIGE 1963)
RONNIE MATHEWS: THE THANG
(DOIN' THE THANG! - PRESTIGE 1963)
ROY AYERS: OUT OF SIGHT
(WEST COAST VIBES - UNITED ARTISTS 1963)
ROY HAYNES WITH BOOKER ERVIN: DORIAN
(CRACKLIN' - NEW JAZZ 1963)
YUSEF LATEEF: BROTHER JOHN
(CLUB DATE LIVE AT PEP'S - IMPULSE! 1964)
BOBBY HUTCHERSON: LITTLE B's POEM
(COMPONENTS - BLUE NOTE 1965)
LEE MORGAN: EDDA
(THE RUMPROLLER - BLUE NOTE 1965)
NATHAN DAVIS: EVOLUTION
(HAPPY GIRL - SABA 1965)
NATHAN DAVIS QUINTET: CARMELL'S BLACK FOREST WALTZ
(THE HIP WALK - SABA 1965)
DUKE PEARSON: THE FAKIR
(PRAIRIE DOG - ATLANTIC 1966)
JOE ZAWINUL: RIVERBED
(MONEY IN THE POCKET - ATLANTIC 1966)
OLIVER NELSON: PATTERNS
(SOUND PIECES - IMPULSE! 1966)
HAROLD LAND QUINTET: TIMETABLE
(THE PEACE-MAKER - CADET 1967)
IRA SULLIVAN: NINEVEH
(HORIZONS - ATLANTIC 1967)
BOBBY HUTCHERSON: ANKARA
(PATTERNS - BLUE NOTE 1968)
BOBBY HUTCHERSON: EFFI
(PATTERNS - BLUE NOTE 1968)
BOBBY HUTCHERSON: RUTH
(SPIRAL - BLUE NOTE 1968
LEE KONITZ: FIVE, FOUR AND THREE
(STEREOKONITZ - RCA JAPAN 1968)
ROLAND KOVAC ORCHESTRA: BLUE DANCE
(MPS 1968)
SAHIB SHIHAB: PETER'S WALTZ
(SEEDS - VOGUE 1968)
TOM SCOTT: SONG # 1
(RURAL STILL LIFE - IMPULSE! 1968)
HUBERT LAWS: WINDOWS
(LAW'S CAUSE - ATLANTIC 1969)
MIKE WESTBROOK CONCERT BAND: WALTZ FOR JOANNA
(MARCHING SONG VOL 1 - DERAM 1969)
FRITZ PAUER: GRATULIERE
(LIVE AT THE BERLIN JAZZ GALERIE - MPS 1970)
MUSIC INC.: BRILLIANT CIRCLES
(MUSIC INC. - STRATA EAST 1970)
WALTER BISHOP JR.: WALTZ FOR ZWEETIE
(CORAL KEYS - BLACK JAZZ 1971)
CLIFFORD JORDAN QUARTET: MAIMOUN
(GLASS BEAD GAME - STRATA EAST 1973)
SADAO WATANABE: ECHO
(OPEN ROAD - CBS/SONY JAPAN 1973)
HENRY BUTLER: FIVIN' AROUND
(FIVIN' AROUND - IMPULSE!/MCA 1986)
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