Why in jazz are the raised 6th and 7th notes retained for descending the melodic min?

[voyage]

How did it evolved in jazz that the melodic minor scale is played the same way ascending or descending, that is, when descending the 6th and 7th notes are not flatted but raised as in when ascending?
Thank you.

[mr. beaumont]

Because rules are tools for fools

Most basic answer is that in jazz, the scale is not only used for melody, but harmony.

This is why Christian and I have started a petition to call the scale "jazz minor."

[Jimmy blue note]

The notes are more easily sung that way; half steps and leading tones. That tradition, as a choral tradition, became assimilated as a sound and once it became part of the compositional canon, it was perpetuated not merely for singing, but for instrumental music, but not to the degree nor the function that it does in jazz.

[Jimmy blue note]

This is why Christian and I have started a petition to call the scale "jazz minor."

With so many youthful wunderkind into the scene these days, we need firm rules to be set as a good example for all those "jazz minors".

[ragman1]

As the others say, the same up and down mel m is called the jazz minor but that doesn't answer the question in the thread title.

My handy answer to that is: the mel m played in the classical manner sounds very balanced when played stepwise up and then down. But that doesn't apply in jazz.

The jazz minor is merely a set of notes which is basically a scale to itself distinct from others Thus you have a set of notes which can be played in several different ways to produce its own sound. Like this.

Except he doesn't like the term 'jazz minor' God knows why not :-)

[ragman1]

This is why Christian and I have started a petition to call the scale "jazz minor."

But I've always seen it referred to in books from way back as the jazz minor. That's definitely not new.

[sgcim]

How did it evolved in jazz that the melodic minor scale is played the same way ascending or descending, that is, when descending the 6th and 7th notes are not flatted but raised as in when ascending?
Thank you.

Cause they wanted to punish me for practicing the Segovia Scales for the last 40 years, every freaking day, at 320bpm through the cycle of fourths and the cycle of Fifths.

[mr. beaumont]

But I've always seen it referred to in books from way back as the jazz minor. That's definitely not new.

Oh you're absolutely correct...it's just a recent joke

[voyage]

Because rules are tools for fools

Most basic answer is that in jazz, the scale is not only used for melody, but harmony.

This is why Christian and I have started a petition to call the scale "jazz minor."

You and Charlie Christian? You play beyond the veil?

[Bobby Timmons]

Most basic answer is that in jazz, the scale is not only used for melody, but harmony.

This. In jazz, mm isn't only about the contour of the melody, it's also about the tonality of those raised notes against the (minor) chord.

[Christian Miller]

Classical composers do use the ascending form descending over a V chord. Have a squizz at some Bach for instance.


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[sgosnell]

You and Charlie Christian? You play beyond the veil?

Look at the given name of the poster in #11 above.

[Christian Miller]

You and Charlie Christian? You play beyond the veil?

I mean quite a few of us do after a fashion…


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