Patient jazz.

I had an "Oh, sh*t." moment today, when I realized how much music (and the difficulty of said music) I have to prepare in the next month or so for some upcoming concerts.  I'm just glad I have a month.  That being said, my jazz practicing has fallen to the wayside, as I've bustled my way into anal retentive, insecure, classical musician mode.  Apologies to my ever-patient jazz teacher.

Here we go, Day 298: https://ia601408.us.archive.org/12/items/Improv6712/20120607192228.mp3

Query.

I know how I would answer this question for myself, but I wonder how you would answer it:

Have you noticed an evolution in these improvs?  And if so, in what way? 

I'm almost at ten months.  I can honestly say that I'm a different person since I began this thing.  (Not entirely, obviously... but I've definitely gone to places previously untraveled.)

On another topic, I'm really grateful for my many influences.  I'm fortunate to have been exposed to world music from the farthest regions one could imagine, as well as the most archaic music, and absurd music; strange music, and traditional music; classical of course, and jazz; bad music, and extraordinary masterpieces.  Maybe at times, it's been distracting, or misleading, but I'm still pretty happy that I've got the background to draw from.

Sorry... a little fragmented with the writing tonight, and for the last several nights, I'm afraid....  Well, the improv is also a bit fragmented, but there were moments I really liked in there, despite some initial trepidation as I sat down to play.

Here we go, Day 297: https://ia600706.us.archive.org/28/items/Improv6612/20120606213021.mp3

Senses.

When I played today's improvs, I was really unhappy with them.  When I listened back, I like them so much more.  Why can't we trust our senses in the moment that they are serving their purposes?

Here we go, Day 296: https://ia700707.us.archive.org/17/items/Improv26512/20120605150052.mp3

Voice.

Realizing that my voice, whatever it is, is quite unique, given the particular journey by which I've come to it.  I don't think I sound like anyone.

Here we go, Day 295: https://ia800501.us.archive.org/4/items/Improv6412/20120604152039.mp3

*cough*

Lots of one-offs these past couple of weeks.  Pardon the coughing.  I have a cold.  But improvisation must go on!

Today's improv seems to quantify what I feel things have been adding up to since August 15.  I started all those days ago with an insecurity that I didn't have the tools to improvise.  Then, somehow, my language started to grab hold here and there, drawing from different influences, but namely classical traditions.  Sometimes the grabs were pretty abstract... other times acutely clear.  Often, my impressions were hazy, but I feel like they are coming together all on their own.

So many times I've tried to force things into place, but when I let them do what they're going to do, I get something different and even more special than I could've ever imagined.

Here we go, Day 294: https://ia800308.us.archive.org/16/items/Improv6312/20120603194823.mp3

It's happening.

For the past month, all the talk has been about Nuno and Jaimie's wedding.  That was, actually, just how long it's been since their engagement.  And now, so suddenly, our two little ones are married and on their new journey together.  What a beautiful day for them, and for my New York family to be all that much closer.  It's pretty wonderful.

And still, the improvs continue to happen, and I'm reminded that they occur so spontaneously at every moment.  And mixed with the mundane, the unexpected and spectacular.

Here we go, Day 293: https://ia600808.us.archive.org/7/items/Improv6212/20120602145045.mp3

Off the record.

Could you believe that by day 292, I've only ever improvised maybe once or twice without recording it?  Seriously!  But today, after I finished my "official" improvs, I continued to play a little longer, with a spare ten minutes.

Why is it, that after getting comfortable on the record for nearly 10 months, I find myself doing such more interesting twists and turns, nuances and expressions, when I'm not recording?  It was almost like I had stopped sucking in my belly, and a big sigh left my body.  I started to use different patterns, shapes, and variations that I never used in previous improvs.  I almost felt like a totally different pianist.  And the switch was remarkable... I could never improvise like that before.  Now the question is, how do I get myself to do that with the mic on?

Here we go, Day 292: https://ia600500.us.archive.org/2/items/Improv6112/20120601214256.mp3