Free jazz se javlja krajem 50-tih godina XX. stoljeća i razbija tradicionalni oblik improvizacije. Pokret se temeljio na potpuno slobodnoj improvizaciji. Glazbenici koji sviraju free jazz stilom odbacuju zadanu melodiju, harmoniju, oblik i ne koriste zadanu građu iz tonaliteta. Zvuk je često agresivan, glasan i disonantan.
Prve snimke snimaju grupe Inituition i Digression pod vodstvom Lenny Tristanoa. Probijanje stila počinje sredinom pedesetih godina snimkama Ornettea Colemana (Something Else i Tomorrow is the question) i prva dva albuma Cecila Taylora (Jazz advance i Looking ahead). Stil postiže najveću slavu kad Ornette Coleman dolazi u New York i izdaje albume "The shape of jazz to come" i "Change of century".
Dva najznačajnija predstavnika su: Ornette Coleman i John Coltrane. Drugi glazbenici koji su djelovali su: Sun Ra, Charles Mingus, Jackie McLean, Cecil Taylor, The Jimmy Giuffe Trio, Chico Hamilton.
Od europskih predstavnika ovog pravca treba izdvojiti saksofoniste: Petera Brötzmanna, Evana Parkera, trombonista Connyja Bauera, gitarista Dereka Baileya, pijanista Freda Van Hovea i bubnjara Hana Benninka. Treba izdvojiti i one koji su svoje djelovanje započeli iza željezne zavjese poput: Tomasza Stanka, Zbigniewa Seiferta, te Vjačeslava Ganelina.
Odabrana diskografija 1960. - 1972.
- Albert Ayler - Spiritual Unity (1965)
- Art Ensemble of Chicago - A Jackson in Your House (1969)
- Anthony Braxton - Town Hall 1972
- Peter Brötzmann - Machine Gun (1968)
- Derek Bailey, Barry Guy, Paul Rutherford - Iskra 1903 (1972)
- John Coltrane - Ascension (1965)
- Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation (1961)
- Don Cherry - Mu (1&2) (1969)
- Jimmy Giuffre – Free Fall (1963)
- Gunter Hampel: Heartplants (1964)
- Tony Oxley: 4 Compositions for Sextett (1970)
- Michel Portal: Alors (1970)
- Manfred Schoof: Voices (1966)
- Alexander von Schlippenbach: Globe Unity
- Archie Shepp : Mama Too Tight
- Alan Silva & The Celestrial Communications Orchestra - Seasons
- Spontaneous Music Ensemble : Oliv (1969)
- Tomasz Stańko - Music for K (1970)
- John Surman - The Trio
- Cecil Taylor- Conquistador (1966)
- Synopsis - Auf der Elbe schwimmt ein rosa Krokodil
- Attila Zoller - The Horizon Beyond
Dodatna literatura
- Jost, Ekkehard (1974). Free Jazz. Studies in Jazz Research 4. Graz: Universal Edition. ISBN 3-7024-0013-3
- Litweiler, John (1984). The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80377-1
- Rivelli, Pauline, and Robert Levin (eds.) (1979). Giants of Black Music. New York: Da Capo Press Articles from Jazz & Pop Magazine. Reprint of the 1970 edition, New York: World Publishing Co.
- Sinclair, John, and Robert Levin (1971). Music & Politics. New York: World Publishing Co.
- Sklower, Jedediah (2006). Free Jazz, la catastrophe féconde. Une histoire du monde éclaté du jazz en France (1960-1982). Collection logiques sociales. Paris: Harmattan. ISBN 2-296-01440-2
- Such, David Glen (1993). Avant-Garde Jazz Musicians: Performing "Out There". Iowa City: University Of Iowa Press. ISBN 0-87745-432-9 (cloth) ISBN 0-87745-435-3 (pbk.).
- Szwed, John F. (2000). Jazz 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Jazz. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 0-7868-8496-7.
- Andre Asriel: Jazz - Aspekte und Analysen. Berlin 1985 (4. Aufl.)
- Philippe Carles, Jean-Louis Comolli: Free Jazz, Black Power. Wolke, Hofheim 1980 (1971, dt. Übers. 1974. Neuauflage 1980)
- Todd S. Jenkins: Free Jazz and Free Improvisation. An Encyclopedia. Westport (CT), London: Greenwood Press 2004; ISBN 0-313-33313-0 (Bd. 1, A-J), 0-313-33314-9 (Bd. 2, K-Z)
- Ekkehard Jost: Europas Jazz:1960-80. Frankfurt am Main 1987
- Bert Noglik: Improvisierte Musik in der Folge des Free Jazz: Kontinuum - Beliebigkeit - Stilpluralismus. In: Darmstädter Jazzforum 1989, S. 14–22
Vanjske poveznice
- "Where Did Our Revolution Go? Free Jazz Turns Fifty" by Ted Gioia, (Jazz.com).
- The Real Godfathers of Punk by Billy Bob Hargus (July 1996).
- Free Jazz: The Jazz Revolution of the '60s by Robert Levin (June 2006).
- "A new approach to Jazz"