In the late 1950s and early '60s, many large ensemble jazz groups began taking greater chances with rhythm, melody, and improvisation--a departure from the early days of swing, when big band jazz was designed for dancing. With innovative thinkers like Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Sun Ra, and John Coltrane paving the way, newer incarnations of big-band jazz benefited from developments in small-ensemble music, as diverse arrangements and instrumentation altered the classic paradigm.

Notable Artists: Don Ellis, Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Carla Bley