Which is a key feature of modal jazz?

Modal jazz is characterized by its use of musical modes instead of traditional chord progressions. This means that rather than constructing harmony based primarily around major and minor scales, modal jazz explores different scales or modes to create a varied harmonic landscape. This approach allows musicians to improvise freely over longer sections of music, focusing more on the melodic possibilities offered by each mode rather than being limited by the changes in chords.

This shift towards modes encourages a more open and sustained form of improvisation, giving performers the freedom to express themselves within the framework of a mode without the constraints of a strict chord progression. This characteristic sets modal jazz apart from earlier forms of jazz that relied heavily on chord-based structures.

While other options may touch on aspects of jazz performance or structure, they do not encapsulate the fundamental principle of modal jazz as effectively as the choice that emphasizes the use of musical modes.