J. Kameron Carter On Jazz...

I am really enjoying blogging about 'making space'. I think I will keep going over the next few weeks. But today I want to invite another voice into the conversation, although he is talking more in terms of freedom and tradition.

Here is our guest blogger for the day: J. Kameron Carter on Esperanza Spalding. Theology and jazz. See, I'm not the only one thinking about this topic...

A Little Romance for You...

Here is a version of "My One and Only Love" by two Jazz greats, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. The way they play off of one another is like butter. I'm goin' all melty inside...

Sam Wells and Improvisation

Molly reminded me of the importance of Sam Wells's book, Improvisation. In this book, Wells talks about improvisation as a model for church. In essence, it is about how we are with one another and in the world. He was a pastor for years and applied these principles in his church and community. His church dying and was in a section of England defined by poverty and cynicism. He wondered how it was possible to revive a church in such circumstances, but it did work. He went on from there to work with Stanley Hauerwas, and is now the Dean of the Chapel at Duke Divinity.

I think I'll talk about this in class... I'll practice improvisation in my teaching life...


Molly sent me a link to an interview in The Other Journal with Scott Bader-Saye, where he talks a bit about Wells's understanding of improvisation. Check it out.

• The Other Journal & Dr. Scott Bader-Saye

Joshua Redman...what more do you need?

It is a truth known to jazz players that technique is the gatekeeper. You cannot make space for others if you do not have space for yourself. After you can play you are able to make space for others, you are ready to play the game. But first, you have to go to the woodshed. You have to play by yourself if you are going to immerse yourself in the game. Jazz is pure playing toward others...

This is the essence of how I understand jazz improvisation, and one of my favs is Joshua Redman. He is such an amazing player and his ensembles are solid. I love to hear him play. We saw him live about 10 years ago (we need to see him again!) and I was hooked. The whole band grooved and moved together. Making space for one another indeed. Here is Redman live:

Bach's Art of the Fugue

We can't have a series on 'making room for the other' without including J.S. Bach's art of the fugue. Here are a couple of videos of the Emerson String quartet (one of my favorite quartets) playing this monumental work (at least bits and bobs of it). The first video has a short explanation of the work, the second one of the 'Contrapunti'. In essence, this is a series of different fugues (Contrapunti) based upon the same theme (or subject, although the subject varies from variation to variation). The variety of the work spins out into eternity and ends mid-sentence because Bach died before he complete the work. I wonder if he would have just kept composing in endless improvisation on this theme into eternity... It seems as if that is exactly what he did.

Watch and listen for the independence of the different voice intertwined with how they interact. This is play in motion...

[N.B. The Oxford American Dictionary defines 'fugue' in the following manner: "Music a contrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successfully taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts."]

Talking of Michael Jackson...

So, one more adaptation that is amazingly cool (in my geeky string player mind). Here is version of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" played by two cellists. I love how they play off of each other. A great example of making room for one another, even if they seem to be dueling it out!

And one more...

OK, one of my favorite adaptations is Eva Cassidy's version of Sting's "Fields of Gold." I always loved Sting's song, but I think that Eva takes it to another level. I also love her version of "Time after Time" in case you are interested...

I'm not sure what I think about the nature shots in the video, but whoever put it together started in Scotland, which makes me want to go back. The fields of the Kingdom of Fife are truly the fields of gold... the light had that certain glowing quality when the canola fields were in bloom... Oh and there are some shots of the Orkney Islands as well... beautiful. I love standing stones!