UCLA's A.J. Rassi compares a great improviser to an Olympic ice skater — spectacular risks, the danger of falling, and the reward of the perfect balance.
As heard by us
A thoughtful tour of improvisation as freedom shaped by memory, discipline, history, and public performance.
Improvisation in this Afropop Worldwide episode is treated as a living practice, not just a flash of musical freedom. Georges Collinet begins with John Coltrane's soprano saxophone turn on "My Favorite Things" and Ornette Coleman's free-jazz breakthrough, then widens the frame…
Why you'd press play
A wide-angle guide to improvisation, from Coltrane to praise singing.
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