There is a Japanese visual art in
which the artist is forced to be spontaneous. He must paint on a thin stretched
parchment with a special brush and black water paint in such a way that an
unnatural or interrupted stroke will destroy the line or break through the
parchment. Erasures or changes are impossible. These artists must practice a
particular discipline, that of allowing the idea to express itself in
communication with their hands in such a direct way that deliberation cannot
interfere.
The resulting pictures lack the complex composition and textures of ordinary
painting, but it is said that those who see well find something captured that
escapes explanation.
This conviction that direct deed is the most meaningful reflections, I
believe, has prompted the evolution of the extremely severe and unique
disciplines of the jazz or improvising musician.
Group improvisation is a further challenge. Aside from the weighty technical
problem of collective coherent thinking, there is the very human, even social
need for sympathy from all members to bend for the common result. This most
difficult problem, I think, is beautifully met and solved on this recording.
As the painter needs his framework of parchment, the improvising musical
group needs its framework in time,. Miles Davis presents here frameworks which
are exquisite in their simplicity and yet contain all that is necessary to
stimulate performance with sure reference to the primary conception.
Miles conceived these settings only hours before the recording dates and
arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played.
Therefore, you will hear something close to pure spontaneity in these
performances. The group had never played these pieces prior to the recordings
and I think without exception the first complete performance of each was a
"take."
Although
it is not uncommon for a jazz musician to be expected to
improvise on new material at a recoding session, the character
of these pieces represents a particular challenge.
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