Jazz music has a long history, originating from black communities in southern America in the early 20th century, evolving from a combination of African and Western music. The cyclical harmonic progression of blues music from which jazz progressed mirrors the call and response nature of traditional African music. Jazz music underwent several period changes, including Dixieland, big band, and swing. By the end of the 1950s, jazz music underwent a major shift when some musicians began to use a modal approach to improvising. By composing pieces using modes rather than chord changes, musicians such Miles Davis and Bill Evans created the art form known as modal jazz.
Indian Classical Music Background
Indian classical music has religious origins, specifically in the Vedic hymns of Hindu temples. This music was passed down through oral traditions from the guru to the student through oral tradition. Indian music is taught to be the "sound is God", and according to Ravi Shankar it is "a spiritual discipline on the path to self-realization" where the "consciousness can be elevated to a realm of awareness where the revelation of the true meaning of the universe-its eternal and unchanging essense-can be joyfully experienced." Shankar is one of the most well known contemporary Indian musicians. He played the sitar, and his performance of "Raga Sindhi Bhairavi" is used in this investigation.