“Creation is more like an improvisation than the performance of a fixed score
that God wrote in eternity.”
John Polkinghorn from an interview with Krista Tippett on “On Being”
March 10, 2005
[The insights for this essay came during a Wilderness Sabbath on June 27, 2019 on a hike of the Hemphill Bald Trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park]
Jazz.
Its origins are rooted in African American spiritual folk songs. It evolved in the active nightlife of early 20th Century New Orleans where musicians gathered in the dance halls to learn from each other and to provide lively music for patrons of the speakeasies. It is a truly American art form.
Fundamental to the playing of jazz is being able to improvise. Players are free to express themselves by composing their solos “on the spot”. There are other musical styles that are based on improvisation such as blues, blue grass, rock music of the 1970’s where guitar solos could go on for 20 minutes. But jazz stands out for its complexity and the more spiritual aspects of the interpretations of the musicians. There are many famous jazz musicians/composers who saw the strong connection jazz can have with the spiritual. Vince Guaraldi (Charlie Brown music), Duke Ellington, and Dave Brubeck all wrote sacred jazz compositions. The great bassist Charlie Haden was well known for incorporating his faith in his pieces.
To a casual listener, some jazz music sounds chaotic and disorganized and to be honest, some of the players who are into “free jazz” strive to improvise with complete freedom of any musical constraints. But by and large, jazz does have its rules and the true masters are able to exert their freedom to improvise within that framework of rules. There are elements like time signature, tempo, groove (bossa nova, or swing), key signature and the chord changes. There are limitations of the instruments. A drummer cannot play like a saxophone. Another element is that every part has its purpose and musicians do well not to play over another’s part. The piano and guitar typically don’t play the bass notes because that’s the job of the bass player. The jazz composer sets these elements and it is the job of the improvising musician to create spontaneous interpretation that fits within the rules of the music. When everything works just right, the experience can be transformational for the player and the listener.
Creation is the Ultimate Jazz Composition
The framework is made up of the laws of the universe which govern time and space and how Planet Earth turns on its axis and revolves around the Sun. The conditions that support life fall within pretty narrow parameters. If these laws are violated, bad things relative to humans start to happen. Airplanes that cannot maintain lift succumb to the pull of gravity. Too much CO2 in the atmosphere can change conditions that make life possible. Humans who put self interest above the care of their neighbors succumb to war, crime, discrimination, hatred. But when the players work together in harmony within the framework, beautiful, transformative musical experiences occur. Sunsets, panoramic views, the experience of a single rose bud, the birth of a child, human love, reconciliation, unity.
“The regularity of the mechanical aspects of nature are to be understood theologically as signs of the faithfulness of the Creator
John Polkinghorne from “Quarks, Chaos and Christianity”
God Takes A Risk
The rules of the universe are set and it’s against God’s nature to violate them. Creation is ongoing. Polkinhorne describes it as “a world of true becoming”. The planet is alive and teaming with the signs of becoming. Yet there is room for improvisation. The force that forms our majestic mountains also creates volcanoes and earthquakes. Weather patterns can form from the movement of air from the wings of a butterfly. Water, a basic element of life, can accumulate disproportionately in floods. There is no inherent evil in the music of this composition. All these elements are necessary for the creation of this incredible planet that is our home. These powerful forces create the beauty we treasure. The cost is the unpredictability of their timing and the fact that sometimes, we find ourselves in the way. Such is the price for our beautiful coasts, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and the Sierra Nevada. Life itself is so precious because it has a practical limit.
Perhaps the risk that is most profound in Creation is involved with the gift of free will. The Creator is not a puppet master. God delights in the company and love of human beings. Gods needs us. But the true value of this relationship is based on the gift of free will. Human love is so sweet because it is the choice of the giver to offer it freely. There can be no love if it is forced. The individual has the creativity and freedom to offer love to another like a great saxophone player interprets the melody and chord structure of a jazz standard and offers it to the listener with passion, feeling, and… love. When a mistake is made, you try again and it gets better with practice. Persistence pays off in the end in the unity of the composer, the players, and the listeners in an ineffable moment that transcends our experiences. But there is a cost. The freedom to share love comes with the choice to convey the opposite. That is why it is a risk. And that is why love is such a blessing. God knows that.
“Do not fear mistakes. There are none.”
Miles Davis
There is no crying in baseball and there are no mistakes in jazz. Much like life, jazz is a journey. It takes a lifetime to truly master the art form and most great players will tell you they still have a long way to go. Jazz evolves, providing opportunities for discovery and learning new rules we did not know before. The only way to learn is to put yourself out there and take some personal risks. You may fail but then you may not. If you make a mistake, play it again. Put in the time. It’s hard but the payoff is worth it. The Great Jazz Composer gave us plenty of room to experiment, to learn and then share the gift.
If you want a great example of a transformational jazz composition, listen to anything by Maria Schneider, but specifically, Walking By Flashlight from The Thompson Fields
I am that I am not…
Copyright 2019 Shawn A. Carson
wildsabbath.com 