Jazz like that
One of the stations on my car radio settings is a jazz station. It's the one, I admit, that I listen to least frequently, but the other day, nothing else was gelling, so I settled on this one on a late night drive to the library to drop off some woefully late books.
Jazz and I have had a off and on rocky affair...The night in the smoky Chicago jazz club, the blues (ok fine, sort of jazz!) festival in Portland's city hall, the Jazzfest in Akron (Listen to my favorite piece from that night: Dave Brubeck's Take Five)...Every time I've been exposed to jazz music I find myself caught up in its magic, its crazy unstructured wonder and the passion of the musicians. However, like one-night stands, there is no attempt to reconnect, to find out more, to re-establish that magic. It's almost like it is too perfect to destroy with analysis.
Having said that, I confess that this time I started wondering what it is about music in general, and jazz in particular, that strikes a chord (pardon the pun!) in me. Here's what I think...
Jazz, by definition, is the epitome of creativity in music...there's little predictability, lots of improvization and crazy, unstructured ups and downs. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
However, stick with it a bit, unwind and relax with it a little, let it take you with it, and you'll start to make sense of it. Beneath the seeming randomness is a pattern. A steady thub-thumping of the bass guitar or the viola, a steady beat that ties together the various streams into one ultimate rush. Sort of like the chaos theory notion of 'attractors' which define the overall boundary or pattern of a phenomenon, within which there can be countless random behaviors. So from within this, if you focus on the immediate randomness, you see no pattern, no melody, no sense. Zoom out a little, and a pattern begins to discern itself and resonate within you. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
The other thing about jazz music, is the way it is created. Having had much greater experience with Carnatic music, I can talk about its equivalent in that system - kalpana swaram. The musicians have to be so in tune with each other (pardon this one too!), they have to stay one step ahead of each other, and the best performances are the ones in which they anticipate exactly what the other one is going to do and do it with them. It's like bridging the gap between minds, trying to understand and predict the other person, and that brilliant flash of satisfaction that results when you've succeeded. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
"I really believe that if there's any kind of God, he wouldn't be in any one of us -- not you, not me, but just this space in between. If there's some magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone else, sharing something. Even if it's almost impossible to succeed, but who cares, the answer must be in the attempt."
Yep...I think it's almost impossible for me to completely understand the magic of music, but who cares, the answer is in the attempt!
Jazz and I have had a off and on rocky affair...The night in the smoky Chicago jazz club, the blues (ok fine, sort of jazz!) festival in Portland's city hall, the Jazzfest in Akron (Listen to my favorite piece from that night: Dave Brubeck's Take Five)...Every time I've been exposed to jazz music I find myself caught up in its magic, its crazy unstructured wonder and the passion of the musicians. However, like one-night stands, there is no attempt to reconnect, to find out more, to re-establish that magic. It's almost like it is too perfect to destroy with analysis.
Having said that, I confess that this time I started wondering what it is about music in general, and jazz in particular, that strikes a chord (pardon the pun!) in me. Here's what I think...
Jazz, by definition, is the epitome of creativity in music...there's little predictability, lots of improvization and crazy, unstructured ups and downs. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
However, stick with it a bit, unwind and relax with it a little, let it take you with it, and you'll start to make sense of it. Beneath the seeming randomness is a pattern. A steady thub-thumping of the bass guitar or the viola, a steady beat that ties together the various streams into one ultimate rush. Sort of like the chaos theory notion of 'attractors' which define the overall boundary or pattern of a phenomenon, within which there can be countless random behaviors. So from within this, if you focus on the immediate randomness, you see no pattern, no melody, no sense. Zoom out a little, and a pattern begins to discern itself and resonate within you. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
The other thing about jazz music, is the way it is created. Having had much greater experience with Carnatic music, I can talk about its equivalent in that system - kalpana swaram. The musicians have to be so in tune with each other (pardon this one too!), they have to stay one step ahead of each other, and the best performances are the ones in which they anticipate exactly what the other one is going to do and do it with them. It's like bridging the gap between minds, trying to understand and predict the other person, and that brilliant flash of satisfaction that results when you've succeeded. Sounds a little like life, doesn't it?
"I really believe that if there's any kind of God, he wouldn't be in any one of us -- not you, not me, but just this space in between. If there's some magic in this world, it must be in the attempt of understanding someone else, sharing something. Even if it's almost impossible to succeed, but who cares, the answer must be in the attempt."
Yep...I think it's almost impossible for me to completely understand the magic of music, but who cares, the answer is in the attempt!
posted by RTD2 at 4:28 PM
6 Comments:
I am not so much into Blues. But a few months back I went ot a Blues bar in Chicago and heard Buddy Guy perform live - It was amazing! Since then I have not tried listening to any records. I suspect its got something to do with the improvisations the on stage brilliance. Its only when one watches it live can one appreciate it completely.
ps: I completely forgot your tag; pardon me! Actually some time back I thought about writing a post but there was nothing more to add except the stuff Parth, Dinesh and you wrote.
To discern the patterns, you definitely need a little time and concentration. (and a good sound system) But the rewards are worth it. Good write up.
Beautifully written. Makes me want to throw my laziness away and go listen to some good jazz music today !
And your theories for jazz music, carnatic music and life, agree with my general concepts about the same topics. The short term randomness, the creativity, the long term meaningfulness etc. I have thought of carnatic music the same way too, for the most part.
There lies a joy in reproducing music. In being able to listen to music, deciphering it, and playing it like it was originally played. But that to me, is a lesser joy in comparison to being able to create everyday you perform, following a general set of rules, but having the freedom to make your own music.
I've been to 2 jazz concerts in my life and I think I can vouch for the fact that to enjoy jazz it definitely doesnt need to be an acquired taste! You're right, it's all in the creativity of the moment!!
Infact one of the concerts had a performance by a French group that totally rocked the crowd coz the played on these big black oil drums!!!!I though it was really cool considering they were playing in Dubai.
:) the most interesting people i know love jazz. you've joined the (arf) band, now.
Very well written! Loved every bit of it. I know neither about jazz nor much about carnatic music but the words that you have played with here leave an impression :)
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