Impressionistische Strukturen im Jazz
The impressionistic tonal way of creation, like tone paintings based on whole tone scales, diatonic and non diatonic chord transitions, elimination of functional harmony and a preference for modality, use of major and ninth chords; as they were consistently used, for instance, in the piano works of Claude Debussy have also been applied to jazz since the nineteen twenties. Corresponding to the prevailing tonal stage of development tonal impressionistic style approaches were used in virtually all the style eras of jazz. Especially by great musicians like Bix Beiderbecke, Don Redman, Duke Ellington, Red Norvo, Art Tatum, Claude Thornhill, Pete Rugulo, Bill Russo, Lennie Tristano, Teddy Charles and Paul Bley but particularly in connection with the modal style of playing of Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Bill Evans, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Maria Scheider, Dave Douglas and Lalo Shifrin. Generally speaking modern jazz harmonies from the nineteen forties onwards portray a fusion of impressionistic chords and European functional harmony with specific tonal expressions of African-american folklore.