Date

11-13-2024

Department

School of Music

Degree

Doctor of Music Education (DME)

Chair

Brian D. Stiffler

Keywords

original work, imagination, jazz language, improvisation, creativity, African sound-culture, phenomenology

Disciplines

Education | Music

Abstract

Jazz improvisation courses have become part of the canon within upper-division course offerings, yet only a few students end up sounding original or creative. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to elucidate, understand, and articulate the significance underlying the lived experiences of adept jazz musicians as they contemplated developing and disseminating improvisational skills. Upper-division jazz improvisation pedagogy is rooted in music theory, a chord-scale approach to jazz harmony, solo transcriptions, and commonly used patterns. Combining these approaches has reduced improvisation to feats of problem-solving or painting by numbers. This study aimed to illuminate the lived experiences of original, creative jazz improvisers who are also involved in upper-division jazz education. Individual interviews were analyzed and coded, and themes were generated following Giorgi’s data analysis method to reveal the essence of the participants’ lived experiences. The data revealed three main themes: African sound culture, motivic improvisation, and interactive creativity. Upper-division jazz students need more teaching in building melodies, musical storytelling, ear training, and interactive creativity. This work is essential because individual expression and creativity are vital for jazz music’s survival and continued development. All disciplines can develop a more profound sense of purpose and discovery through a working model that connects imagination and creativity. Studying jazz improvisation pedagogy and creativity could encourage further research to develop jazz improvisation curricula, including aural processing, guided listening to classic recordings, and exercises encouraging creativity.

Download

Share

COinS