cool jazz: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2 (Specialist/Medium)Formal/Neutral (primarily used in artistic, musical, and cultural discussions).
Quick answer
What does “cool jazz” mean?
A style of jazz music that emerged in the late 1940s and 1950s, characterized by relaxed tempos, lighter tones, and a more subdued, intellectual approach compared to bebop.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A style of jazz music that emerged in the late 1940s and 1950s, characterized by relaxed tempos, lighter tones, and a more subdued, intellectual approach compared to bebop.
Occasionally used metaphorically to describe a mood, atmosphere, or aesthetic that is sophisticated, calm, and understated.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or definitional differences. The term is used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of mid-20th century sophistication and a specific jazz style.
Frequency
Equally frequent in relevant musical discourse in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cool jazz” in a Sentence
[Genre] + [VERB] + cool jazz (e.g., He plays cool jazz.)[PREP] + cool jazz (e.g., an album of cool jazz)[ADJ] + cool jazz (e.g., classic cool jazz)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in the music industry (e.g., 'marketing a cool jazz reissue').
Academic
Common in musicology, cultural studies, and history texts discussing 20th-century music.
Everyday
Used by music enthusiasts; not a common everyday term for the general public.
Technical
Specific term in music theory and history denoting a particular style with defined harmonic and rhythmic features.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cool jazz”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cool jazz”
- Using 'cool jazz' to describe any modern or popular jazz (misapplication of the historical term).
- Incorrectly capitalising as 'Cool Jazz' in running text (it is not a proper name of a single group).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Cool jazz is a specific historical style from the mid-20th century. Smooth jazz is a later, commercially oriented genre that emerged in the 1970s and 80s.
Key figures include Miles Davis (early work), Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, and the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Rarely. It is primarily a noun phrase. One might say 'a cool jazz vibe', but 'cool-jazz' as a hyphenated compound adjective is non-standard.
The term reflects the style's emotional restraint, relaxed feel, and intellectual approach, in contrast to the 'hot' intensity and virtuosic speed of bebop.
A style of jazz music that emerged in the late 1940s and 1950s, characterized by relaxed tempos, lighter tones, and a more subdued, intellectual approach compared to bebop.
Cool jazz is usually formal/neutral (primarily used in artistic, musical, and cultural discussions). in register.
Cool jazz: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkuːl ˈdʒæz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkul ˈdʒæz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'cool' (calm) breeze and smooth jazz in a 1950s coffee house.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTELLECTUAL SOPHISTICATION IS COOL TEMPERATURE; EMOTIONAL RESTRAINT IS PHYSICAL DISTANCE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a key characteristic of cool jazz?