Comments on: Does All Improvisation Have To Be “Jazz”?

By: M Keiser

M Keiser — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 08:10:36 +0000

Its ok, i plan on being an architect anyway.

though contructive criticism is always appreciated.

By: Michael Kaulkin

Michael Kaulkin — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 03:28:04 +0000

Thanks, Hucbald, for bringing up the point about cadenzas, a tradition that didn’t survive for some reason.

I should have said more about what I liked in the concert. I feel the same as Eric about the ballads and other more transparent stuff. But, I’m pretty sure it was all completely improvised (except the “As Time Goes By” encore, of course.)

By: ericmar

ericmar — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:57:15 +0000

i was also bummed out by jarrett’s lashing out at a few people that tried to take his picture. i can understand his irritation, but it was way over the top.
nonetheless, i thoroughly enjoyed his performance. i like the ballads, folksy tunes and standards more than his spontaneously improvised pieces.

By: Hucbald

Hucbald — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 14:16:12 +0000

I saw a pianist a few years back – I’m sorry I don’t remember his name – but he was a soloist touring through and playing with the San Antonio Symphony. He played a Mozart concerto and improvised his own cadenza. He even did a brief little masterclass-like interlude where he explained what he would be doing. It was quite fascinating and the cadenza was very good.

I’m not sure why improv has vanished from the classical stage, but Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, Pagannini and many others improvised their cadenzas in years past.

I’d also agree that KJ blurs the boundaries between jazz and traditional music.