[TPIN] Leon Merian's "In the Now" email

[Jorge Alicea]

All,

After my post yesterday, there was a considerable number of you who asked
for this email. I figured this is the easiest way to get to all of you who
may be interested. 

I'll go back to being a "silent" member of the list now. ;-))


____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________

From: Leon Merian
To: LEON MERIAN
Cc: LEON MERIAN
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 9:29 PM
Subject: Improvisation/creating/transcending/spiritualizing


Jazz musicians play the melody {or the head} and from that new melodies are
created over the same harmonic structure. That's jazz--creating a logical
beautiful melody which is your very own. You might play that same tune night
after night and you will never get bored with it for it will come out
differently every time. This engenders creative excitement--energy--because
it is a spiritual thing. You are playing in the NOW...this very moment. You
don't think about it. When you improvise you are completely in the
now...this very moment. No time to think about it!! It has nothing to do
with the intellect. As a matter of fact it transcends the intellect. You
simply have to "be". In other words jazz carries us as close as we can be to
the SPIRITUAL. It sort of forces your mind to go only one way. You must be
focused...you're not aware of yourself because you are right in the middle
of the NOW.
There is really no mental activity going on... You are not aware of yourself
because you are totally absorbed in the music you are playing.  Your mind
doesn't say to you," I'm playing great tonight or I'm playing rotten
tonight". It is NOT judgmental...please understand that...it is something
that is happening with you...something that is taking place and it's
EXCITING to be caught up in it !! That's enough. You have become one with
the music YOU created...PERIOD!!! Forget Chet Baker, Dizzy, Miles, and
Hubbard. It's Not a tournament or a competition. Have no fear. Just get in
there and do it!
Jazz musicians have no fear of this "unknown world" which can be called the
unconscious. We frequent it continuously and have been doing so since our
childhood. Children visit it quite often as they don't know what it is to
fear it!!! It gives us a much more complete picture of our "self". Our PURE
individuality!! Playing jazz {improvising} gives you this childlike
spontaneity, energy, and enthusiasm which most people seem to loose after
childhood. Many times I have felt a part of me which made me turn my back on
receiving [taking in] too much information in playing jazz. I think that too
much analyzing of jazz concepts and styles can be detrimental. Maybe that's
why Erroll Garner never wanted to learn to read music [Buddy also].
I think that retaining this innocent childlike nature has a very positive
effect on our creativity. To have this nonjudgmental state of mind, where we
just play--simply play> I think that this is the TRUE improvisational
process, allowing anything and everything to just happen. Make things up
just like a child. We all like playing just as we did when we were children.
It's one of the ways we play with music...and maybe that's why we continue
to do it!!!
Difficulties understanding improvisation arise from the fact that there are
different kinds of improvisation. We can't offer a pat description of
improvisation. What we all are seeking here is to understand improvisation
as it has been practiced in performance. A dictionary definition=to compose
on the spur of the moment---composing and performing simultaneously. This
tells us only part of the story. For me, I would say that improvisation must
contain the unexpected, producing excitement and exhilaration that comes
from spontaneity... I remember Milt Hinton saying that Dizzy's music was
exciting for him because there were things that Diz tried to do that he
couldn't do. Aaron Copland said "When you improvise, it is axiomatic that
you take risks and can't foretell the results". 
In closing let me please say: Imagination/Intuition/Inspiration are the
result of experience and knowledge and in balancing all of these qualities
will the spirit of creativity manifest itself. No, it is not a piece of
cake...but you must do it as well as is possible ...you must keep on keepin'
on....it is good for your musicianship. Your facility and your mental
health....God Bless you all. 

Leon Merian