Progressive jazz (also known as modern jazz) is a type of music that formed from inclusion of elements from other musical genres. One such result was the creation of jazz fusion. It was primarily developed on the west coast of the United States in the late 40's and early 50's.

Progressive jazz is typified by an experimental, non-melodic, and often free-flowing style of modern jazz, especially in the form of highly dissonant, rhythmically complex orchestral arrangements. Intense yet ironically relaxed tonal sonorities are the major characteristic of this jazz form, while the melodic line is less convoluted than in bop. Lester Young's style was fundamental to the music of the cool saxophonists Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, and Stan Getz. Miles Davis played an important part in the early stages, and the influence of virtuoso pianist Lennie Tristano was all-pervasive. The music was accepted more gracefully by the public and critics than bop, and the pianist Dave Brubeck became its most widely known performer.

See also jazz, fusion, jazz fusion.