Bebop, Cool, Third Stream, Hard Bop, Modal

Evolution of Jazz Study Guide

Charlie Parker

Alto saxophonist; a key founder of Bebop, known for fast improvisation and advanced harmonies.

Dizzy Gillespie

Trumpeter; Bebop co-creator; known for virtuosic technique and incorporating Afro-Cuban elements.

Thelonious Monk

Pianist and composer; known for his unique style, dissonant harmonies, and rhythmic complexity.

Miles Davis

Trumpeter; pivotal in multiple jazz movements: Cool, Hard Bop, Modal; innovator of Kind of Blue and Birth of the Cool.

Gil Evans

Arranger and pianist; collaborated with Miles Davis; known for lush orchestrations in Cool and Third Stream jazz.

Dave Brubeck

Pianist; Cool jazz icon known for odd time signatures and the album Time Out.

Paul Desmond

Alto saxophonist; played with Brubeck; composed Take Five; known for light, lyrical tone.

Gerry Mulligan

Baritone saxophonist; Cool jazz pioneer; contributed to West Coast jazz with a smooth, relaxed sound.

Chet Baker

Trumpeter and vocalist; known for soft, melodic Cool jazz playing and tragic personal story.

Stan Getz

Tenor saxophonist; bridged Cool jazz and Bossa Nova with hits like The Girl from Ipanema.

Art Blakey

Drummer; leader of the Jazz Messengers; helped shape Hard Bop and mentored many jazz greats.

Clifford Brown

Trumpeter; Hard Bop star with a clean tone; influential despite a short life.

Cannonball Adderley

Alto saxophonist; known for soulful, blues-infused Hard Bop playing; worked with Miles Davis.

Sonny Rollins

Tenor saxophonist; major Hard Bop figure known for thematic improvisation and bold tone.

John Coltrane

Tenor saxophonist; Modal jazz pioneer; known for spiritual, intense playing on A Love Supreme.

Bebop

Mid-1940s jazz style with fast tempos, complex chords, and virtuosic improvisation. Key artists: Parker, Gillespie, Monk.

Cool Jazz

Late 1940s–50s jazz with relaxed tempos, smooth tone, classical influence. Key artists: Miles Davis, Brubeck, Desmond.

Third Stream

1950s style blending classical music and jazz. Key figures: Gil Evans, Gunther Schuller. Example: Sketches of Spain.

Hard Bop

Mid-1950s jazz style with gospel, blues, and R&B roots. More emotional and soulful than Bebop. Key artists: Blakey, Brown.

Modal Jazz

Late 1950s–60s style based on scales (modes) rather than chords. Spacious and exploratory. Key albums: Kind of Blue, A Love Supreme.

What makes Bebop unique?

Emphasis on virtuosity and improvisation; complex harmony and rhythm; not danceable.

What makes Cool jazz different?

Smoother, more relaxed, with classical elements and more arrangement than Bebop.

What makes Third Stream different?

Combines jazz improvisation with classical instrumentation and composition.

What defines Hard Bop?

Deeply rooted in blues/gospel; rhythmic, emotional, and accessible; evolved from Bebop.

What defines Modal jazz?

Focus on modes over chord changes; allowed for more open, spiritual improvisation.

First Bebop recording

Ko-Ko by Charlie Parker (1945)

First Cool jazz recording

Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis Nonet (1949–50)

First Modal jazz album

Kind of Blue by Miles Davis (1959)

Important Third Stream album

Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis and Gil Evans

Hard Bop movement leader

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers

Popular odd time signature album

Time Out by Dave Brubeck Quartet (features Take Five in 5/4)