Third Stream Jazz
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Third Stream Music as a term was coined by Gunther Schuller in 1957 to descibe a musical style which combines elements of classical music with jazz.
Though there were very early attempts to integrate jazz and classical music--including, arguably, much of Classic Ragtime and Harlem Ragtime, and such as George Gershwin's 1924 Rhapsody In Blue, or some of bandleader Duke Ellington's most ambitious work--Third Stream proper was most popular in the late 1950's and early 1960's, though it has exerted an influence to the present.
It borrows jazz's improvisation, rhythmic drive and blues-oriented language, while drawing on classical's instrumentation, forms and compositional techniques. Because Third Stream is involved in classical as much as jazz it is generally required that composers and perfomers be proficient in both genres.
Though important Third Stream recordings and performances have been made, some critics have argued that Third Stream--by drawing on two very different styles--dilutes the power of each in combining them. Others reject such notions, and consider Third Stream an interesting musical development.
Important composers in this movement include John Lewis and his Modern Jazz Quartet, George Russell, Dave Brubeck and members of his Octet and Quartets (and his brother, Howard Brubeck), Toshiko Akiyoshi, David Amram, Ran Blake, Gunther Schuller, Gil Evans, David Baker, and William Russo. Many free jazz composer/performers, such as Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton, the band Oregon (free jazz band), and Sun Ra, were also influenced by the Third Stream school.
See also Third Stream.