Einflüsse des Montuno auf die Entstehung des modalen Jazz
- Slow-moving harmonic rhythm – the repetition of a single chord or a pair of alternating chords lasting for at least 4 measures.
- Absence of standard functional harmonic patterns.
- Static harmony for a longer part of a piece.
The Son Montuno may have developed out of prayers with short responses during the christianizing of the coloured people in Cuba by the Spanish dominators. It became a predominantly 2- or 4-bar – seldom 1- or 8-bar – ostinate harmonic-rhythmic vamp with clave rhythm, either with functional harmonic patterns – for instance I-IV-V-IV-V7 – becoming a turnaround, or with static harmony or ostinate alternating chords.
Only the second alternative – alternating pendulum chords or static harmony – is dealt with because this kind of montuno may have contributed to the development of Modal Jazz in case Jazz soloists have become accustomed to improvise on that base without chord progressions. Many examples prove it has been tried to confirm this theory – also considering the merits of other and less influenced-by-Afro-Cuban music pioneers of Modal Jazz including Teddy Charles, George Russell, Miles Davis, Gil and Bill Evans and John Coltrane.