(no)boundaries: A Study in Free Improvisation

Andrew Bain

This practice-led research project investigates the importance of an empathically creative connection between freely improvising musicians in a live context with no pre-conceived ideas and details the development of instantaneous group composition. As such, (no)boundaries had no pre-composed music, there was no rehearsal period for the musicians (myself playing drums), and we had never played together before the first note of performance. In my research to date, the dynamic between pre-learned knowledge (embodied) alongside intelligent transactions during live improvisation (enacted knowledge), has been useful in helping to better understand the process of jazz improvisation. Even if there are pre-conceived elements, how the music is realised each time is unique. Conversely, even if we set out to have no pre-conceived ideas, in reality, we are still intuitively informed by our experiential and musical knowledge in performance. The two seem inextricably linked. (no)boundaries showed that group attunement in performance is possible with no pre-learnt repertoire or rehearsals, in an appropriate setting with the right co-performers. Even though no pre-conceived ideas were intended, (no)boundaries evidenced improvisations guided by similar principles of standard jazz performance, pointing to the existence of a common performance mode.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bailey, D. (1993) Improvisation: Its Nature and Practice in Music. New York: DaCapo Press.

Berliner, P. (1994) Thinking in Jazz: the Infinite Art of Improvisation. London: University of Chicago Press.

Borgdorff, H. (2012) The Conflict of the Faculties: Perspectives on Artistic Research and Academia. Leiden, The Netherlands: Leiden University Press.

Borgo, D. (2006) Sync or Swarm: Improvising Music in a Complex Age. Har/Com edn. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Jost, E. (1994) Free Jazz (the Roots of Jazz). Cambridge, MA: DaCapo Press.

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