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Cool jazz is a style of jazz that emerged in the United States during the late 1940s. This style of jazz is characterized by relaxed tempos and a lighter tone. This is significantly different to the fast and complex style of bebop or free jazz. The birth of cool jazz was created by the great Miles Davis who essentially changed the sound of jazz for years to come
Cool Jazz is marked by intricate harmonic structures, de-emphaized dynamics, and carefully controlled phrasing and ensemble playing, often with a slight lagging behind the beat. The sound of jazz’is completely different than the sound of bebop or free jazz which are spontaneous, complicated and played at a frantic pace. Cool Jazz was the chill version of jazz that attracted large audiences across the country.
One of the most notable cool jazz artist is the great Miles Davis. Miles Davis was a jazz trumpeter who considered one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz. Davis was responsible for integrating the cool jazz into the bebop jazz world with his nine-unit ensemble. Other notable cool jazz artist include, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Gerry Mulligan and more.
The integration of cool jazz into the jazz allowed for the genre to evolve into a new sound that was accompanied by a new style and vibe within the jazz world. Audiences were accustomed to the loud, frantic sounds of bebop and the combined noises of instruments with free jazz. Cool jazz was a new style of jazz that brought something different the music world. Many popular songs of jazz come from cool jazz as the style is widely accepted by many audiences around the country. Cool jazz not only spread throughout the black community, but also throughout many white communities, making it a universal sound of jazz that was adored by all. The diversity that cool jazz brings allows for the sound to be appreciated and heard in many ways. Thus, it is an important aspect of jazz as a whole because it revolutionized the genre.
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