Living Music

     Over the last few months, I've had the chance to go out and enjoy BYU's lovely concert halls. Specifically, I've been investigating the jazz here. There's something about jazz that simply doesn't feel right recorded, and I've truly enjoyed being close enough to go out and find it on my own.

     There's something special about jazz. It feels more organic than other music, as if it's something created spontaneously rather than planned and practiced. Granted, you occasionally get crashing cacophonies of music that you can't puzzle a melody out of, but then, sometimes you get lovely little experimental trills of music that you simply don't find in any other genre.

     There's also the concept of riffing. I know of no other genre that specifically gives time to its musicians to extemporize on the fly, and it is incredible to see it done right. Jazz normally uses a group of players, but when riffing is done properly, a player takes the song into their own hands and create something entirely new with its fabric. Granted, most of the younger players seem to flounder a little, but that's to be expected. I've done public speaking, and speaking from experience, creating something good on the fly is incredibly difficult. I can only imagine that it'd be harder for musicians, who've had to learn the new language of their instrument and haven't ever had the chance to converse with it rather than playing to an empty room.

     I say converse because that's what riffing feels like sometimes. When two players both decide to play off each other, they can get an incredible back and forth going. It feels like nothing more than a spirited conversation. You can even see the personality and emotion of the player, if you watch close enough. Some players will be almost reserved while riffing, despite this being a time to be put on proud display. Others will try to fly off the walls with eager energy. And when they decide to play together, it's easy to see those styles clash and resolve and blend.

     And you only get this in jazz. And it's phenomenal.