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> while simultaneously listening closely to other musicians in the band, who are making their own statements Ostensibly, yes. In practice, usually only one per
by sampo 10y ago
> while simultaneously listening closely to other musicians in the band, who are making their own statements
Ostensibly, yes. In practice, usually only one person at a time is playing a solo over a predetermined and repeating chord progression.
- beat 10y agoOh, no. That's not jazz at all! The soloist isn't the only person improvising. The rest of the band is supporting the soloist by improvising. The chords themselves aren't simple, static devices. There is plenty of room for expression and communication. A soloist needs to be on their toes, ready for the drummer to just rework the groove for laughs. A bass player needs to catch on to some rhythmic motif the soloist is using, and be ready to drive them home when the soloist does. Even within totally composed music, a lot of attention is required to keep timing in sync. Performing live music in a group setting requires a great deal of attention to what's going on outside your own mind.