The Avant-Garde Movement in Jazz in the 1960's The avant-garde movement in jazz in the 1960's was a period in music that was marked by several specific traits. The United States in the 60's was going through rapid changes socially, and having some major political changes also. In this paper, I would like to follow the development of the avant-garde movement, from the very causes of the movement to avant-garde from the "Modality" and "3rd Stream" periods, all the way through to the major innovators of the period. Also included in my discussion will be the social and political changes facing the nation in the 1960's