[ANPPOM-Lista] BEYOND THE MUSIC by David Liebman - Muito interessante!!!!

Marcelo Coelho muzikness em gmail.com
Qui Set 20 16:38:43 BRT 2012


caros,

o saxofonista, compositor e *jazz educator* americano David Liebman relatou
de forma bastante precisa o panorama da música instrumental no cenário
mundial, com um enfoque particular sobre o jazz, porém, o que chama a
atenção no seu texto é a contemporaneidade das suas considerações e
contextualiações do 'fazer música' no momento atual em que vivemos,
abordando alguns tópicos sobre  o posicionamento do educador, improvisação,
espiritualidade, espírito coletivo, composição, criação, mestre&discípulo,
e outras.

liebman é considerado um dos expoentes do jazz da geração pós-coltrane.
tocou com miles davis e elvin jones na década de 70, além de ter colaborado
com outros gigantes do jazz (wayne shorter, chick corea, mccoy tyner,
outros). gravou mais de 300 cds que abrangem desde um trabalho solo de
improvisação livre, colaborações com músicos de diversas etnias (indianos,
africanos, etc), big bands, orquestra e chamber ensembles, etc. escreveu
mais de 20 livros sobre saxofone, improvisação, jazz-swing, jazz education,
harmonia (o premiado livro *jazz chromatic approach)*, além de dvds e
outros. já ganhou vários prêmios, além de ter sido indicado ao grammy.

ele ainda segue uma intensa agenda de performer e *clinician, *além da sua
atividade como professor na pós-graduação da manhattan school of music, em
nyc.

texto muito propício!

abs

-- 
Marcelo Coelho
www.coelho-music.com

*JAZZ EDUCATION IN THE CENTURY OF CHANGE:*

*BEYOND  THE MUSIC*



*Question:What values does a jazz education offer beyond the music itself?*



     Artists have always had a supply and demand problem. Since time
immemorial there have been more people with creative ideas than an audience
to communicate them to, especially if the art demands more than a cursory
attention span. In the current world of  jazz education, the situation vis
a vis graduating more and more of the most equipped musicians in history
(every year more so) in stark contrast to the scarcity of  paid performance
and recording opportunities has assumed epic disproportion. To deny this
would be like ignoring global warming. Serious educators are and should be
concerned. Discussions on the subject are sometimes uncomfortable, but are
nonetheless taking place worldwide. Notwithstanding that this situation
might differ in degree from country to country or even regionally (all
trends have their own natural ebb and flow), it is incumbent that
responsible educators address this issue.



     The standard response has traditionally been that it is not our
responsibility to be concerned with the vocational aspects of an arts
education. Our job is the transmission of  knowledge, peripherally, if at
all, addressing matters concerning the ramifications of making a living
pursing one’s art in the “real” world. This viewpoint does not hold up
under scrutiny and is at the minimum a matter of principle and ethics, let
alone economics if one considers the rising cost of a college education
worldwide and the financial debt that a young person will be straddled with
from the onset of their “real” life. Obviously, the situation in America
vis a vis the cost of a college education is the most glaring and
outrageous example of this part of the problem. Responsible educators
should have something to offer these young men and women beyond cliches
that is relevant and specific, at the least enumerating proven attributes
of a jazz education that go beyond the music itself and will enrich their
lives. Yes, Coltrane (and other artists) offer a high aesthetic and
spiritual plane, but what about the here and now?



     I think it is safe to assume that most students (and their teachers)
would in a perfect world, choose to play and communicate their art while
maintaining  a steady financial basis. When I address my master’s degree
students at the Manhattan School of  Music the first day of class I ask
them point blank if they could have it their way, how many would rather
contemplate questions of harmony, rhythm, etc., instead of  having to deal
with making a living, the most obvious route being teaching. The obvious
response is unanimously 100% towards playing. This is after all what most
of us dreamed of when we became enamored of jazz way before thoughts of a
formal education surfaced. It’s possible that on a case by case basis a
certain measure of success may somehow occur to a gifted, deserving and
fortunate individual. But for the majority of young aspiring students
looking towards the future this scenario may not happen for reasons that
are well documented (end of record business, venues closing, arts funding
down, etc.)



     What values and/or skills have our students learned through the study
of music, of jazz specifically, that will be of use in the world and life
they will most likely encounter?  I have enumerated what I consider these
core values to be using my personal concepts, all of which can easily be
described in multiple ways.



*BEYOND THE MUSIC*



*Jazz skill*(learned): Spontaneous improvisation.

*Life skill*(transferred): The level of personal honesty that an individual
brings to a playing situation is a given since there is nowhere to hide
when improvising in the jazz tradition. Who you are and what you represent
go beyond the here and now touching upon deep philosophical and spiritual
aspects of being alive.

*Key concept: Honesty *



*Jazz skill*: Soloing.

*Life skill*: Having the ability and attitude necessary to assume
leadership, meaning to take charge when and if required; also to hand over
leadership unconditionally when the situation calls for it.

*Key concept: Leadership and follower abilities*



*Jazz skill*: Soloing as a “multitasking” activity.

*Life skill*: Dealing with a lot of information quickly; ability to
integrate and synthesize information in a creative fashion.

*Key concept: Clarity of thought*



*Jazz skill*: Learning from mentors.

*Life skill*: Being able to learn from older mentors by graciously
accepting their wisdom as a vital part of the learning process. This
implies suspension of judgment as to the immediate personal value of the
material offered.

*Concept:* *Experiential learning*



*Jazz skill*: Participating in a group effort through ensemble
collaboration.

*Life skill*: Maintaining an open and respectful attitude towards other
group members by working with them as peers, regardless of age, gender,
proficiency level, nationality, religion, race, etc. This infers that being
better at a task does not mean personal superiority or the opposite.

*Key concept: Mutual respect*



*Jazz skill*: Realizing one’s unique “voice.”

*Life skill*: By honing one’s own vision, the individual assumes an active
role towards changing and improving a given situation by offering unique
and personal ideas towards that end. This involves critical and creative
thinking, honest self evaluation, much discipline and a desire to change
one’s status quo towards discovering a better way to accomplish something.

*Key concept: Clarity of vision*



*Jazz skill*: Knowing the “standard” repertoire (history and traditions) as
it is along with the desire and ability to vary these set directives in
creative and multiple ways, both spontaneously as well as pre-planned.

*Life skill*: Being able to adjust and change direction in a situation
already framed by a given set of rules and conditions which may or may not
encourage new discoveries and innovation; seizing the moment and affecting
immediate change while at the same time being actively involved in the
process itself; having the necessary confidence to accomplish this goal
with the awareness that the final result might not be realized until later
with no guarantees concerning the outcome.

*Key concept: Flexibility *



*Jazz skill*: To be able to “swing” meaning being part of the surrounding
context (“groove”).

*Life skill*: Being part of the creative process taking place; to energize
and be energized by interacting with the involved parties towards realizing
a goal; feeling a “joie du vivre” through being involved in a group effort.

*Key concept: Commitment*



*Jazz skill*: Composing original music, etc.

*Life skill*: Creating something new and/or modifying an already
established tradition or practice based upon one’s imagination, skills and
experiences.

*Key concept: Individual creativity*



* *

* *

* *

*Jazz skill*: Being in the moment, aware of what is happening around you
(in a playing situation).

*Life skill*: An open attitude towards the new and unexpected without fear
or immediate judgment; realizing that out of the old comes the new to be
embraced and refined as befitting the specifics of a situation.

*Key concept: Awareness*



*Jazz skill*: Interaction on stage; communication with an audience; working
within one’s immediate musical community.

*Life skill*: Realizing your relationship to one’s direct working and
social environment, meaning the immediate group as well as society at
large; the ability to see the “big” picture in both one’s private and
public life.

*Key concept: Citizenship*



*Jazz skill*: Being an entertainer and communicator.

*Life skill*: Realizing the social component and purpose of your work; the
ability to offer one’s ideas and creative work in a manner that will
successfully convey ideas and concepts to a given audience for
consideration.

*Key concept: Communication*



*Jazz skill*: Being an artist

*Life skill*: To recognize the deep intrinsic values of what one does in
life on both a practical and spiritual level; communicating core universal
values (truth, beauty, compassion, etc.) in a way that both educates and
entertains.

*Key concept: Spirituality*



     John Dewey, one of America’s foremost thinkers on education:



     “..each (individual) shall have the education which enables him to see

     within his daily work all there is in it of large and human
significance….first
     and foremost to teach habits of learning.”
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