Free Jazz of the 1950’s and 60’s and The Early Punk Rock Scene

Free jazz and the early punk rock scene at first glance appear to have nothing in common. Free jazz musicians were extremely talented, successful musicians who played intricate music. Punk rockers were novice musicians who played simple music with stripped down instrumentation. Although they are different there are many defining factors that connect both genres. Both were out casted by society, and challenged conventional rules of music. Punk rock and free jazz both gave rise to sub cultures and their music continues to inspire artists to this day (Gross).
The first punk rock scene began in New York City during the early seventies. Artists such as Patti Smith, The Velvet Underground, The New York Dolls, The Ramones, Wayne County, Blondie, and the Talking Heads performed frequently in the Bowery District, most reputably at CBGB’s an underground music club in New York (Hilly). In 1975, groups that played the fast, hard edged music that would come to distinguish punk formed outside of the city. Scenes were popping up from coast to coast in the United States. When the Ramones traveled to London in 1975 they played two shows that aided in triggering the young punk scene in the United Kingdom (Riley).
Free jazz today is a very general term, but when it first began in the 1950’s it was also called “avant-garde”, “energy music”, and “the new thing”. Free jazz is the result of jazz “avant-gardes”, tired of the strict boundaries of existing jazz, and wanting to push their creative limits(Gross). The evolution got its biggest catalyst, when winner of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2007 Pulitzer prize in music, Ornette Coleman recorded one of the most disputed jazz records in history. The name of the Album was Free Jazz: A Collective Improvisation, and that is how the Free Jazz was coined as the name for the entire movement. Today free jazz continues to change and grow, as musicians push forward with new creative output and technology improves (Gioia).
Behind punk rock music there are important profound principles supported by anarchist political views, and freedom. The punk rock scene was an intentional response to the mass commercialism of music at the time (Riley). John Holstrom, founding editor of Punk Magazine remembers how he felt when punk was first starting, “punk rock had to come along because the rock scene had become so tame that acts like Billy Joel and Simon and Garfunkel were being called rock and roll, when to me and other fans, rock and roll meant this wild and rebellious music”. It was all about shoving music that wasn’t easy to digest down people’s throats. The sound wasn’t necessarily about the music; it was more about the artist’s ability to express themselves. Punk rock portrayed its anti-establishment mentality in their sound, lyrics, and appearance. An associate from The Clash gave an outline of singer Joe Strummers outlook “punk rock is meant to be our freedom. We’re meant to be able to do what we want to do”. Punk Rock wasn’t all about rebelling; against authority the punk rock scene took on a do it yourself philosophy. Bands were producing, recording, and distributing their own albums(Riley).
Much like punk rock, free jazz also had founding principles which drove musicians to create such unique music. Free Jazz used virtually no harmony. Harmony was considered western, Free jazz musicians were trying to reconnect with their own African roots. “For some musicians the reclamation of Africa encompassed not only specific musical techniques, but also the recovery of a lost affinity with a wide musical and cultural tradition” (Ward 152).
Punk rock music was no bullshit rock and roll. Generally the musicians playing were amateur, the music was more about expressing their opinion. Since they didn’t know the rules of music, they were able to break them. The songs were short, and in your face. The lyrics were uninhibited, aggressive, and commonly remarked on social and political issues. Generally punk bands had one or two electric guitars, and electric base, a drum set, and vocals. The vocals in punk rock are commonly screamed and not sung, and in distinguished by a lack of change in pitch, volume, or tone(Riley).
In free Jazz improvisation is essential. This music is generally performed by a small group of musicians. It is a largely instrumental genre, although there are a few important jazz vocalists who made substantial contributions to free jazz. Jarring sounds are made by the musician over-blowing into their instrument. Conventional forms of jazz used standard meters, and 4/4 rhythms, where as Free Jazz kept a general pulse but swung more freely(Latimer).
The punk rock subculture exhibited itself through a variety of medias including music, ideologies, fashion, visual art, literature, film, and lifestyle. The subculture was predominantly white males, who came from a wide variety of backgrounds. Drugs were often used in the punk scene with the exception of the straight edge movement. Violence has also appeared in punk rock. The punk rock subculture was influenced by a diverse spectrum of authors, literature, and art. Punk fashion was another way to shock society using dramatic clothing, hairstyles, make up, body art, jewelry, and body modification. The punk rock movement has had a huge impact on art as well. Punk rock art is usually displayed on album covers, show flyers, and on the covers of music magazines. The entire appearance of punk was created to perplex, and unsettle those in society who were content in their feelings of security. With the strong philosophies of punk emerged an ample amount of literature, which is as assorted as punk itself. It has impacted the widespread transgression fiction genre and has also influenced science fiction (Riley).
Free Jazz was never developed a large following quite like punk rock. Free Jazz music did not show a great commercial potential. Amiri Baraka wrote essays that were published in Jazz magazines about free jazz “to promote ideas for circumventing the lack of exposure free jazz musicians were suffering” (Ward 155). Many of her ideas are ideas including “coffee shop gigs, cooperative jazz clubs, and do it yourself record distribution were eventually carried into the punk rock culture, and are a part of what made it so huge. Although it did create a subculture of sorts, and created a small following. With Free jazz emerged a collection of clubs, record labels, and listeners that helped the genre grow (Ward 152).
Free jazz and the early punk movement, have much more in common than you might imagine. Both movements were inspired by musicians that wanted to push the limits of their creativity. They went forward with their visions despite what critics, and society said. Their music, and lifestyles have made their mark in history, forever.


Works Cited
Gioia, Ted. “Where Did Our Revolution Go? Free Jazz Turns Fifty.” Jazz.com. 25 Feb. 2009 .
Gross, Jason. “The Jazz-Punk Connection.” Perfect Sound Forever. July 1996. 22 Feb. 2009 .
Kristal, Hilly. “History of CBGB.” CBGC. 24 Feb. 2009 .
Latimer, Joey. Radio Free Jazz. 25 Feb. 2009 .
Riley, Julia. “The DIY Work Ethic and the Punk Rock Subculture.” Associated Content. 1 Nov. 2005. 26 Feb. 2009 .
Ward, Brian, ed. Media, Culture, and the Modern African American Freedom Struggle. Florida:
University Press of Florida, 2003.