"You're just sort of searching for this "thing" and sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't. All music is imperfect, but in jazz since you're improvising, at least the way I play, I'm trying to follow my train of thought in a solo"
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In this quote, John Abercrombie, a distinguished jazz guitar player, records the essence and challenges of musical improvisation, especially in the context of jazz. Abercrombie's use of the word "searching" recommends that musical performance, particularly jazz improvisation, is an exploratory and spontaneous procedure. This search is for a "thing", which might refer to an elusive suitable, an unique minute of imagination, or a particular sensation or feeling that the artist aims to express or capture throughout their performance.
The phrase "often you get it and in some cases you don't" suggests the unpredictability of accomplishing musical perfection or fulfillment. Each efficiency is various, and the ephemeral nature of music means that not every attempt will meet the musician's own expectations or resonate with the audience in the preferred method. This unpredictability is what makes each jazz efficiency unique and alive.
Abercrombie acknowledges the fundamental imperfection in music by specifying, "All music is imperfect". This acknowledgment points towards the approval of defects and the appeal discovered within them. Jazz, by nature of being an improvisational art type, prospers on the imperfections and surprises that occur in the minute.
Abercrombie's technique to improvisation, as he describes, includes "trying to follow my train of believed in a solo", which stresses a deep level of personal expression and self-questioning. Each solo is a story or a stream of consciousness where the musician's thoughts and feelings are equated into musical phrases. This procedure is both extremely personal and spontaneously creative, enabling the artist to explore their own musical concepts in real-time.
In conclusion, Abercrombie's quote shows the dynamic, unforeseeable, and personal nature of jazz music, highlighting improvisation as an art of constant exploration, where the journey is as substantial as the location. This viewpoint celebrates the beauty of improvisation and the distinct connection in between the musician, their instrument, and their audience.
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