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TheEtiquetteofImprovisation
WhenIusedtoplaypianoinChicagotavernsforaliving,Idreadedthenightswhenguys
whohadbeenplayingdanceswouldcomein,aftertheirjobshadended,tositinwithour
quartet.Inatraditionaljamsession,wewouldplaywellknowntunesandeveryonewould
haveaturntosolo,improvisingonthechordsofthesong.WhydidIdreadit?Iftherewere,
say,fourhornplayerssittingin,inadditiontoourown,everyoneofthemwouldplaythe
samenumberofchoruses.IfthefirstplayerplayedsevenchorusesofIGotRhythm,the
otherfourwouldallplaysevenIwouldhavetoplayseven,whetherIfeltlikeitornotthe
bassplayer,ifhisfingersheldup,mightplayseven,andthedrummertoothenpeople
mightstarttradingfourbarphrasesadinfinitum.Thatcouldeasilyadduptosixtythirty
twobarchorusesofasongwhoseharmoniesarenotveryrich(Iwasfondofsongs,like
HowHightheMoon,thathadwhatwecalledinterestingchanges,harmoniesthat
changedfrequentlyanddepartedfromtheoriginaltonality).Rememberthatthepianist
mainlyplaysaccompanimentforallthesechorusesandyoucanseehowsomeonewhohad
alreadyplayedforseveralhoursmightfeellikefallingasleepastheprocessionofchoruses
notveryinterestingones,usuallywentoninterminably.
Itwasntalwaysthatbad.Onceeveryseveralmonths,alotofthings,varyingmoreorless
randomly(althoughmycolleaguesandIoftenwentinfortheoriesthatinvolvedphasesof
themoon),wouldcometogetherright,andtheresultswouldbeextraordinary,wethought
andfelt.Usuallythatdidnthappen,andeveryoneinvolvedwasbored,notonlylisteningto
theotherplayerschoruses,buteventotheirown.
Whywasthat?Foronething,mostimprovisingwasnotquitesoinventiveasthelanguage
weused(andthatmostpeoplestilluse)madeout.Inoneway,itwasinfactspontaneous,
createdatthatmoment,andnotexactlylikeanythinganyonehadeverplayedbefore.But,in
anotherway(asPaulBerliner(1994)hasamplydemonstrated),everyoneofthoseseven
chorussoloswasbastedtogetherfromsnippetstheplayershadplayedhundredsoftimes
before,sometheyhadcomeonthemselves,manyslightvariantsofwhattheyhadheardon
records(ofGillespieorParkerorGetz)amongthesecollages,especiallywhenitwaslate
andwehadhearditalloverandoveragainalreadythatnight,oneofusmightdosomething
thatsoundedtoourearsreallydifferentandoriginal,eventhoughitmightwellbe
somethingwehadspentaweekworkingoutinprivacyratherthansomethinginventedon
thespot.
Whydidwetortureourselvesandeachotherthatway?Theetiquetteofjamsessions
requiredit.Thisverystrictetiquettetoldusthatthenumberofchorusesthefirstplayer
playedsetthestandardothersshouldfollow.Toplaymorewouldberude,pushy,self
aggrandizingtoplaylesshintedthatthefirstplayerhadgonetoofarand,worse,thatthe
followingplayerswhoplayedlesshadlesstosay.(Itusuallyhappenedthatthefirstsoloist
playedtoomanychoruses,hopingtogetsomethinggoingeventhoughhehadstarted
slowly.)
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Noonetaughtustheserules,norhadwereadtheminanetiquettecolumninDownbeat.
Welearnedthembyquietlyobserving,asyoungsters,whatolderplayersdid,andnoting
whathappenedwhensomeone(usuallyanoviceorsomeotherunsocializedtype)failedto
obeytheserules.ThegrossestexamplesIeversawofsomeonefailingtofollowthemcame
yearslaterwhengroupsofsociologistmusiciansplayedtogetheratsociologyconventions.A
fewofthemhadnothadtheyearsofplayinginsuchsessionstherestofussharedandwould
breakinoneachotherschorusesbeforetheyhadfinishedtheirallotmentandstopbefore
theyhadfinishedtheirown.Weneverknewwhattodowithsuchpeople,believingthatif
someonedidntknowanybetterthanthatbynowitwastoolatetotrytoteachthem.
Arudimentarysociologicaltheorysuggeststhatetiquetteisawayofprovidingforthe
systematic,formalexpressionofrecognizedandacceptedrelationsofrank.Thatincludes
unequalrelations,aswhenchildrenaretoldnottospeakuntiltheyarespokentoorwhen
southernblackswererequiredtogetoffthesidewalkforwhitesorpoorpeoplewere
enjoinedfromwearingclothingthatwasbeyondtheirstation.Italsoincludesrelationsof
equality:fictitious,aswhengoodpartymannersrequirepeopletopretendthateveryone
presentisofthesamesocialclasswhethertheyareornotorreal,asintheobligationsof
friendstooneanother.Etiquetteisparticularlyimportantwhenpeoplethinkthateveryone
involvedinsomesituationoughttobeequalbutreallyisnt.
That,ofcourse,isexactlythecaseinthemusicalsituationsIhavejustdescribed.Jazzis
aggressivelyegalitarian,probablyonthepremise(commoninmanyofthearts)thatthereis
notellingwherelightingmightstrikeandwhatunlikelypersonmightturnouttobereally
goodeventhoughtheyhadnevershoweditbefore.Jazzplayerswere,forinstance,leaders
inchangingtheetiquetteofracialinteractionintheUnitedStates(notsaints,butleaders),
althoughnotparticularlysowithrespecttogender.Butnotallplayersplayequallywell.In
fact,intheunimportantplacesIworkedin,allsortsofuntalentedandinexperiencedpeople
showeduptohaveanotherwhackatit,inhopesofimprovingorgainingtheneeded
experience.Somewerewonderful,mostwereordinary,afewwereawfultheyallgottoplay
theirallotmentofchoruses,inhomagetothebuiltinoccupationalmythofequality.
Allowingthebadtoplaywiththegood,indeferencetoprofessionaletiquette,hasreal
consequences.CollectiveimprovisationnotlikeKeithJarrett,whereonemanplaysalone,
butlikethemoretypicalsmalljazzgrouprequiresthateveryonepaycloseattentiontothe
otherplayersandbepreparedtoalterwhattheyaredoinginresponsetotinycuesthat
suggestanewdirectionthatmightbeinterestingtotake.Theetiquettehereismoresubtle
thanIhavesofarsuggested,becauseeveryoneunderstandsthatateverymomenteveryone
(oralmosteveryone)involvedintheimprovisationisofferingsuggestionsastowhatmight
bedonenext,intheformoftentativemoves,slightvariationsthatgoonewayratherthan
someoftheotherpossibleways.Aspeoplelistencloselytooneanother,someofthose
suggestionsbegintoconvergeandothers,lesscongruentwiththedevelopingdirection,fall
bythewayside.Theplayersthusdevelopacollectivedirectionwhichcharacteristicallyas
thoughtheparticipantshadallreadEmileDurkheimfeelslargerthananyofthem,as
thoughithadalifeofitsown.Itfeelsasthough,insteadofthemplayingthemusic,the
music,Zenlike,isplayingthem.
If,however,theparticipantsarenotcourteoustoeachotherthatway,donotlistencarefully
anddefertothedevelopingcollectivedirection,themusicjustclunksalong,eachone
playingtheirowntiredclichs.Iftheplayersareexperiencedandtheclichsprofessional,
theresultwontsoundbad,althoughitwontexciteanyoneeitherifthosethingsarenttrue,
itwillbeapainfulexperience.
Etiquettemightnotevenbetherightwordtodescribethekindofattentiveness,care,and
willingnesstogivegroundandtakedirectionfromeachotherinvolvedinthatkindof
improvisationatitsbest,althoughitisnotabadone.Itcallsattentiontothegrantingof
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equalstatustoeveryonesideasandintuitions.Butthereissomethingelsegoingonthat
needstobeapproachedfromanotherdirection,somethingwhichinvolvestherelations
betweentheaudienceandtheimprovisersaswellasamongtheimprovisers.
Whenpeopleimprovisetogethertheyusuallydoso,thoughnotalwaysandnotnecessarily,
bytakingsomeelementsofwhattheywilldoasgiven,notsubjecttochangeduringthe
courseoftheimprovisation,leavingothersaswhatitwillbeO.K.tovaryandworkwithas
theyperformtogether.Thus,formusiciansofmyera,improvisingmeantpickingatune,
fromamongtheonesweallknew,asthebasisforthecollectivework.Pickingatunemeant
pickingamelodyandtheaccompanyingconventionalharmoniesorconventionalvariations
onthoseharmoniesandpickingatempo.Thenwecreatedvariations,oftenforgettingthe
melodyentirelythoughnotitsharmonyorbasicorganization(wherethecadencescame,for
instance),butnevervaryingthetempo(thatwasknownasnotkeepingtimeandsignaled
seriousincompetence).Theagreementtokeepsomethingsfixedandvaryothersmadeit
possibleforagrouptosoundlikeitknew,collectively,whatitwasdoing:tonotgetlost,to
havesomeideaofwhatmightbecomingnext,tointerpretwhattheothersdidashintsofa
directionthecollectiveeffortmighttake.Equallyimportant,agreementonthesematters
madeitpossibleforaknowledgeableaudiencewhosemembersknewthesongstheplayers
usedasagroundforimprovisationandthelimitsofcurrentperformancepracticetolisten
towhatwasplayedandappreciateit,understandhowtheplayerswerecreatingvariations
withinabodyofrulesandknownelements.
Itmightbestretchingtheuseofetiquetteunreasonablytosaythat,whenimprovisersstick
tothetraditionofwhatwillbeimprovisedandwhatwillbefixedtheiraudiencealready
knows,theytreattheaudienceasequals.Orthatthefailuretodothatisaformof
impolitenessthatsignalscontemptforinferiors.Nevertheless,jazzfansusuallydidknow
themelodiesandharmoniesofthetunesjazzplayersused,knewwherethebandwasinthe
songatanymomentoftheimprovisation,andunderstoodinsomewaysaswellasthe
musicianswhatriskstheplayersweretaking,whentheywereplayingsafe,whentheywere
coastinginfamiliarterritoryandwhentheyweredoingsomethingstrikinglyoriginal.Notall
fans.Someknewalotmorethanothersanddrewonagreaterrepertoireofhistoryandpast
performance.Butwhenmusiciansrespectedthosesimplerules,treatingtheircolleagues
andtheiraudiencesasknowledgeableequals,themusichadagoodchancetobeboth
appreciatedandworthappreciating.
Astrictobservanceoftheseformalitieswouldmeanthatnothingmuchwouldchange.Such
conservatismmakeslifeeasybutdoesntcreatemuchart,althoughquiteminorvariations
maybeenoughtosustaintheinterestofperformersandaudience,thenandnow.Both
groupstypicallytakechangestobemuchgreaterthantheyseemtobeintheviewoflater
observers.Audiencesandplayers,confrontedwithpeoplewhostartvaryingwhathadbeen
takenasfixed,oftentreatthatasasignofdisrespect.Performersconfrontedwithsuch
changeoftenseethattheywillnowbeexpectedtolearnhowtodothingsthattheydont
knowhowtodobutothersdo,whilewhattheydoknowhowtodothatotherscantdohas
beendevalued.Audiencesoftentakeoffenseatthesevariations,suspectingthatthe
performerwho,forinstance,changestempointhecourseofanimprovisationeitherdoesnt
knowwhathesdoingandthusinsultsthembypretendingtobebetterthanhereallyis,or
knowsthattheywontknowwhathesdoingandthusinsultsthembycreatingthepossibility
thatheisjustfoolingaroundwiththem(acommonsuspicionofaudiencesconfrontedwith
arttheydontunderstand).Ineithercase,thefailuretoabidebywhatwemightcallthe
etiquetteofnotgoingbeyondwhatiscommonlyknownsuggeststosensitiveaudience
membersthattheyarenolongerbeinggrantedequalstatus,butareinsteadbeingtreatedas
nonparticipantsintheimportantpartsoftheinteraction.
Intime,audiencemembersflexiblemembersoftheoldaudienceornewrecruitswhoare
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notbotheredbypeoplewhochangewhatusedtobefixedlearntoplaytheirinterpretive
partintheneweffort.Theprocess,whichIhavemadesoundlikestagesandsteps,probably
occursinverysmallincrements,sothatrelativelyfewpeopleareinconvenienced.Thevery
substantialdifferencesbetweentheplayingofRoyEldridgeandLouisArmstrong,for
instance,didnotoccasiontheoutrageamongplayersandaudiencemembersthatthechange
fromEldridgesstyletoDizzyGillespiesdid,althoughthosesubstantialchangeswere
probablynomoredifficulttomakethantheearlierones.Itisprobablynotthefactof
changeitselfbutthedegreetowhichitissurroundedbyopensignsoflackofrespectforthe
rulesofetiquettethatmakesthedifference.
Whendoaudiencemembers(orevenfellowmusicians)interpretforaysintounexplored
areas,changesinwhathadbeentakenasgiven,assignsofdisrespect?Theycould,afterall,
understandthemsimplyasexperimentswhichmightormightnotworkfellowplayers
probablymostofteninterpretthemthatway.Fellowplayershaveachancetohearallthe
tentativestepsthatsuggestmovinginthedirectionoftheexperimenttheyhaveseenit
comingandseethelogicofthatpossibility.Theymayevenhaveseenthatsameperformer
tryotherexperimentswithmoreorlesssuccessinthepast,sothattheyknowthe
experimentissincere,notaputon.Audiencemembershaveseldomhadthatopportunity.
Theorganizationoftheperformingartsissuchthataudiencescomeandgo,seeingeach
performanceonceeventhoughitisdonenightly,whiletheperformersremaintogether,
thusabletoknowwhattheirfellowsareuptoandseethingsinalongerandmore
differentiatedperspective.
WhatIhavebeendescribingisimprovisationinitsmostcommonandroutinizedform,asit
occursamongprofessionalentertainersperformingforalayaudience.Theopposite
extremeoccurswhentheconditionsaredifferent:when,forinstance,thereisnoaudience
immediatelypresentandinsteadtheimprovisersaretryingtosolveaproblemorperforma
featforitsownsakeortheirownsake,becauseitistheretodoandtheyhaveagreedto
devotethemselvescollectivelytodoingit.Underthosecircumstances,theperformersdo
notinteractinawaythatrespectstheconservativeetiquetteIhavejustdiscussed.Ifthe
rudimentarytheorylinkingstatusandetiquetteiscorrect,thatmeansthatparticipantsin
suchaventurehavedecidednottoactoutthemythofequalityembodiedinthatcode.
Instead,theyactaccordingtoanothersetofrules,accordingspecialstatustopeoplewho
makespecialcontributionstothecollectiveeffort,orarethoughtlikelyto.Theyagree,
implicitlyandcollectively,togiveprioritytowhat,intheircollectivejudgment,worksandto
giveshortshrifttowhatdoesnt,andnottobepoliteaboutit.
Whenpeopleimprovisethisway,theybecometheirownprimaryaudience.Eventhough
theymayintendtheresultsofwhattheydotobepresentedtosomeaudiencelater,andeven
thoughanaudiencemaybepresentwhiletheywork,theygivenoweighttoputtingona
goodshoworkeepingupappearances.Theyconcentrateongettingthejobtheyhaveset
themselvesdone.Theimageofajazzgroupperforminginpublicisnotapthereabetter
examplewouldbeactorsimprovisingscenesinhopeofdiscoveringsomethingtheycanuse
inashoworscientistsdiscussingadifficultprobleminhopeoffindingaleadtoasolution.
Oftenenough,interactioninsuchsituationssimplyrecognizesahierarchyofabilityalready
wellknown.WhateverCharlieParkerorCharlieMinguswanteddonegotdone,justbecause
theywerewhotheywere.Similarly,scientistsknownforhavingsolvedimportantproblems
getarespectfulhearingnotaccordedtopeoplewhohaventprovedthemselves.Often
enough,too,thatreputationprovesafalseguide.Parkersreputationgavehissuggestionsin
agroupsimprovisationsaweighttheyoftendidnotdeserve,andmanyscientistswhoonce
solvedanimportantproblemmake,fortherestoftheirlives,pedestriancontributions.
Leavethatpossibilityaside.Considerwhathappenswhenalltheparticipantsignorethe
past,ignorereputations,ignoreeverythingbutthecontributionpeoplemaketothe
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immediatecollectiveeffort.Theruleinconventionalimprovisationistotreateveryones
contributionasequallygood.Theruleinthesesituationsistotreateveryonescontribution
aspotentiallybetterthanalltheothers.Wheneveranyonedoessomethingclearlybetter,
everyoneelsedropstheirownideasandimmediatelyjoinsinworkingonthatbetteridea.
Peopledonotmovegingerly,graduallyconvergingonsomesortofamalgamofhintsand
implications,thusrespectingthefictionofequality.

Tobeabletodothat,everyoneinvolvedmusthavemuchthesameideaofwhatthebetter
lookslike,acommoncriterionforknowingitwhenitappears.Thatsuggeststhattheywill
havesharedapastinwhichthosecriteriaandtheirapplicationhavebeenworkedoutand
appliedinmanycases,whichinturnsuggeststheirlongtermparticipationinanorganized
worldinwhichthekindofactivitytheyareimprovisingiscommon,probablyaprofessional
orquasiprofessionalworldinwhichtiesofoccupationbringpeopletogetherinjoint
projects.
Likewise,peoplemusthavearealsharedinterestingettingthejobdone,aninterest
powerfulenoughtoovercomedivisiveselfishinterests.Inanimprovisingmusicalor
theatricalgroup,forinstance,noonemustbeinterestedinmakingareputationor
protectingonealreadymade.Scientiststryingtosolveaproblemmustcaremoreforthe
problemthanfortheirorganizationalpositionsorprerogatives.Itisaninterestingquestion
towhichIhavenoanswerastowhenpeoplebecomeunselfishinthatway.Butitisa
commonobservationthat,eveninsettingsnotlikelytoproducesuchacommitment(suchas
largescaleindustries),peopledoactthatway.
Inthissortofinteraction,greatchangescanoccur.Notonlydopeoplerespectandfollow
theleadofwhoevercomesupwithsomethinggood,theymayalsocollectivelychangetheir
notionofwhatisgoodastheworkprogresses,adoptinganewcriterion,endingwitharesult
thatcouldnothavebeenforetoldfromanythingtheyknewandwereusedtodoingbefore
theystarted.
Agoodexampleofthisonamoreroutinebasisistheimprovisedtheatergame,inwhich
peopleusealoosesetofrulessomethingontheorderofachildrensgametoorganizea
dramaticscene.Theymight,forinstance,playExitsandEntrances,inwhicheachplayer
triestomaximizethenumberoflegitimateexitsandentrancesheorshemakes,legitimacy
looselydefinedaswhatevereveryoneagreesworksdramaticallyandhelpstheforward
motionofthescene.Theobjectistoproduceadramaticallyinterestingscene,andwhoever
seemstobehelpingwiththattaskisfollowed,whenthegameiswellplayed.Theexample
suggeststhattheoccasionsonwhichthiskindofmoreradicalimprovisatory
experimentationoccursneednotberareorrequirepeopleofextraordinarytalentor
psychologicalabilities(e.g.,toleranceforlooseness),butcanratherbeasroutinizedasthe
moreformalandpoliteversionsconsideredearlier.
Clearly,wecouldidentifyawholerangeofkindsofsituations,varyingbetweenthetwo
polesofthosewhichworkonthebasisofanetiquettewhichrecognizesandmaintainsa
formalideologyofequalityofstatusandthosewhoseetiquetterequiresrecognitionof
differentialsinthecontributionmadetothecollectiveeffort.Thesedifferencesare
embeddedinandsupportedbydifferencesinlargersocialorganizations,whichcreatethe
conditionsmakingoneortheotherpossibilitymorelikely.
Intalkingthisway,Ihavegonebeyondthefacetofacesituationinwhichimprovising
typicallyoccursandisappreciatedtothelargermovementsandorganizationsinwhichthose
situationsareembedded.Insodoing,Iwanttoavoidtheerroroftenmadeinanalysesof
facetofaceinteraction,theerrorofneglectingwhatisfixedinthesituationunderstudyby
theinfluenceoftheselargerentities.Therelationsbetweenthedynamicsofimprovisation
theconstantattentivenessandshiftingfocusoftheparticipants,andthesensitivitytoall

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thatofanexperiencedaudienceandthelimitsplacedonthosedynamicsbytensionsofthe
organizeddistributionofknowledgeandtherewardsconnectedtoitsuggestsomeofthe
dimensionsstilltobeexplored.
**********
[TheEtiquetteofImprovisationwasthebasisforasymposiuminthejournal.Several
peoplewrotecomments,andIwasinvitedtorespondtothem.Whatfollowswillnotmake
completesenseunlessyourefertothecommentsthemselves.Itappearedinthesameissue
ofthejournal,pp.197200.]
ExamplesandGeneralizations
KathrynPyneAddelsonhascriticizedphilosophersspecifically,thosewhodealwiththe
ethicalproblemsinvolvedinabortionfortheiruseofhypotheticalcasestoclarifyissues:
Themostobviousthingtosayaboutthismethodisthatalthoughbringinguphypothetical
casesmayclarifyourunderstandingofconceptsandprinciples,everyoneknowsthatthe
selectionofhypotheticalcasesalsobiasesunderstanding.Thisbiasmaybe(unintentionally)
systematic.Forexample,JudithThomson[discussingabortionviasuchanexample]givesa
casewhereJonesfacesafrostydeathbecauseSmithownsthecoat.Whynot,instead,usea
casewheremen,women,andchildrenfacepoordiets,poorhousing,andlossofdignity
becausetheownerofamilldecidestomoveitoutofoneregionintoanotherhavingcheaper
laborandlowertaxrates.Philosophersmaysaythesecondexampleistoocomplicated,but
theselectionisnotatrivialmatterofsimplicity.Thecoatexampleignoresanessential
distinctioninkindsofpropertyownership,whichthemillexamplesreveals.(Addelson1991)
So,forinstance,anargumentthatseemsstraightforwardwhenyouaretalkingaboutwomen
whomighthypotheticallyhavebeenimpregnatedbyseedsthatfloatedinthroughthe
windowlosessomeofitsforcewhenthecaseisMrs.Jones,married,withsixchildren,and
dirtpoor.
Thisproblemoccurswithrespecttoconceptualproblemsingeneral.Wespeakin
abstractionswhichallowus,associalscientists,tocomparecasesandarriveat
generalizations.Butourconceptstypicallyhaveinmindaspecificcaseorsortofcase,and
theabstractionshavefeaturespeculiartothiscaseortype.Theabstractiongainscomplexity
andpowerwhennewcases,whichforceustoaddnewfeaturestothemodel,areintroduced.
Ithinksomethinglikethatisinvolvedinthisdiscussion.(Whatfollowsisbasedonmy
readingofthecommentariesavailabletome,whicharethoseofCash,Sawyer,andRuhleder
andStoltzfus.)Myremarksonimprovisationwerebased,asCashsays,onaspecific
situation(shemighthavesaidthatIhadabadsample):latenightsinthe1940sand50s,in
smallChicagotavernswhereplayerswhohadfinisheddancejobswouldcometositinwith
thehouseband,theownersnotcaringmuchwhatwentonatthattimeofnight.Theplayers
werenotsuchbadplayersinfactsomeofthemwereoccasionallyquitegood,thoughnone
werefamousthenandfewevergottobefamousbutthemusicwas,forthemostpart,as
undistinguishedasmydiscussionsuggested.Banalenoughtoboretherhythmsectionthat
hadtoaccompanyallofthem.
Onthebasisofthisexample,Isuggestedasmalltheoryofimprovisationthattookofffrom
theinformalrulesthatseemedtogovernwhatwedid.Thetheoryidentifiedtwoaspectsof
whatthesemusiciansweredoing.Ontheonehand,theytreatedeachotherasequals,inthe
sensethateachplayerwasentitledtoaturn,andtoaturnofthesamelength,astheothers,
andtothesamekindofattentionastheothers.Ontheotherhand,sometimessomething
specialwouldoccur:someonewouldplaysomethingthatseemedextraordinarytothe
othersandtheywoulddefertothatplayerandfollowtheleadthathadbeenprovided.
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Maybenotextraordinary,maybejustdifferentenoughtogeteveryonesattentionand
provokethemtofollowtheleadandseewhereitwouldgo.Sothepersonwhohadproposed
thatchange(proposeditinthesenseofplayingitandthusofferingittotheothersasa
possibility)wouldforthattimebetreatedasmoreequalthantheothers,assomeonewhose
ideameritedspecialconsiderationnotgiventoothers.
Extraordinarymightbetoostrongawordforwhatwasgoingon.Itmightbebetterto
speakofsmallvariationsinstandardroutines,oreveninterestingmistakes.IngridMonson
describesthelattersituationinarecordingofaconventionaltwelvebarbluesbyJacki
Byard.Thebassplayer,GeorgeTucker,somehowgetstwobeatsaheadoftheotherplayers
inthethirdchorusand,bythefifthchorus,issixbeatsoutinfront.Theotherplayers
eventuallydecidethat,despitetheirhintsastowherethechorusesaresupposedtoend,
Tuckerisnothearingthem,andtheyeventuallymakeaninnovativeleapandadjusttohis
mistake.Monsonsays:
Whenasoloistmakesamistakeinkeepingtheform,theaccompanying
memberswillgenerallytrytoarticulatethestructuremoreclearlysothatthe
soloistcangetbackon.When...asoloistremainsinadifferentspotinthe
timecycleoverseveralchoruses,however,asensitivebandwilladjusttothe
soloist,evenifheorsheistechnicallyincorrectwithinthecontextofthe
originaltimecycle.(Monson,1996,pp.161162)
ThatkindofintersensitivityamongthemembersofagroupiswhatImtalkingabout.
Thisisamodestenoughtheory.Ithoughtitofinterestasawayofunderstandingsome
situationsthatjazzplayersfound,andprobablystillfind,themselvesin.ButIalsothought,
ofcourse,thatitmightberelevanttolargerquestionsinvolvedinthinkingabout
improvisation(otherwise,Iwouldhaveofferedittojazzplayers,andnottoanacademic
audience).Improvisationseemstodescribesomuchofwhatgoesoninotherareasofsocial
lifethanjazzthatmanypeoplehaveusedthetermtodescribeotherformsofcooperationin
quitedifferentsettings:conversation,informalworkroutines,andthelike.SoIofferedmy
theoryaspotentiallyapplicabletoallthoseotherareas.
Ididnotimaginethatthetheoryreallywouldaccount,unmodified,foralltheseother
phenomena.Iknew,fromAddelsonsexplanation,thatitboreallthemarksoftheexample
mymoreabstractstatementsgeneralizedabout.WhatIdidimagineissomethinglikewhat
hashappenedhere:thatotherswouldtaketheidea,applyittosituationstheyknew,identify
differencesbetweentheirexampleandmine,andusethosedifferencestocomplicatewhat
hadbeensaid,makingthekindsofdistinctionsthatonlybecomevisiblethroughsuch
comparisons.Indoingsuchwork,themorevariousthecasesyoucompare,themoreyouget
outoftheexercise.Cashtalksbrieflyaboutcontactimprovisationindance,Sawyertalksa
littlemoreaboutimprovisationaltheater,andRuhlederandStoltzfusgiveanextended
analysisofmasterclassesinchoralconducting.Thesesituations,liketheoneIdescribed,are
allaboutartisticactivity,whichmeanswedontgetthegoodofacomparisonto,say,team
sportsortoaworksituation.
Westillgetplenty.Forinstance,thesecasessuggestthatthenormsorruleswhichgovern
whatgoesonintheimprovisatorysituationcancomefromavarietyofplaces.My
descriptiontooktheetiquettethatgovernedsittinginasagiven,presumablytheproductof
theautonomousactivityofpeopleliketheonesIdescribed,nowpassedonashowwedo
things.Inthechoralconductingclass,conventionscomeoutoftheclassroomtheteacher
is,afterall,teachingpeoplehowtoconductandtheconcerthallbecausethestudent
conductoris,afterall,conductingamusicalperformance.Boththosesettingshavewell
known,historicallylegitimatedpatternsofinteractionthateveryoneinvolvedrespectsand
withinwhichthedescribedimprovisationoccurs.
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Cashsaysthatcontactimprovisationoccursinsettingsthatareunusualfordance
performancesoutdoors,industrialsettingsbutwhichneverthesscontainaudiences.She
intimatesthatthedancersinvolvedarecreativeenoughtooperatewithoutrelyingon
conventionalstructuresatall:...inventingnewproblemsonthespotandpushing
themselvestoanswertheirownquestionsinwaysthatstressedandvalorizedthe
unexpected.Shedoesntdescribewhatthedancersdoorhowaudiencesrespondinthekind
ofdetailtheothercommentatorsdo,sowecantreallyaddthecasetoouranalysis.
Sawyersdescriptionofimprovisedtheateremphasizesthecombinatorialexplosion,the
myriadofpossiblecontinuationsthatopenupwhenanactorproposesafirstactionfor
otherstorespondto.Ithink(andhesright,IlivedinChicagoandknewpeopleinthat
businessandamnotunfamiliarwiththegenre)thatthereissomewhatmoreinthewayof
culturallyavailableconventionthanSawyerallows.Busdriverswerestandard
charactersinSecondCityskits,aswerepsychiatrists,UniversityofChicagoprofessorsand
students,andmanyotherfamiliarsocialtypes.Perhapsmoretothepoint,thecollectionof
gamescontainedinViolaSpolinsTheaterGames(Spolin,1963),thebiblefromwhich
thousandshavelearnedtoimproviseonstage,providesavarietyofframeworksonwhich
improvisationscanbehung.
Combiningalltheseexamples,weseethatthejazzexampledefinesonepositionona
dimensionwecouldcallthesourceofstructuralconventions,adimensionthatranges
fromnosuchconventionspresent(inthecaseofcontactimprovisation),toconventions
developedwithintheworldofactioninwhichtheyarenowapplied(asinjazzand
improvisedtheater),toconventionsborrowedfromneighboringworlds,asthechoral
conductingclassborrowedthestructuresoftheclassroomandtheconcerthall.
AnotherproblemthatinterestsallthecommentatorsisonethatIhavenotgivenasmuch
attentionastheythinkappropriate.Creativityisofteninvokedasthecounterweightto
structure,thefresh,thegood,andthenewopposedtothestale,bad,andold.Whodoesnt
prefercreativity?AsMonson(p.214),talkingabouttheworkofjazzrhythmsections,says:
Theimageofimprovisationappearsofteninpostmodernandculturalstudies,functioning
asametaphorforhybridity,fortheblurrinessofboundaries,andforliberationfromthe
inhibitingconfinesofbothhegemonicideologiesandstructuralism.Yetthisusageisonly
partlyapt.
Onereasontheusageisonlypartlyaptisthatcreativityanditsoppositesaretermsofpraise
andblame,notanalyticcategories,anddontworkwellinthelattercapacity.Creativityis
clearlynotthesameasinnovationandneitherarethesameasdifference.George
Tucker,inMonsonsanalysisofhismistakecitedabove,haddonesomethingdifferentby
introducingsomeextrabeatsintoaveryconventionaltwelvebarbluesstructure.Thatcould
havebeenaninnovation,iftheothershadfollowedalongandincorporatedthedifference
intosucceedingchoruses(thoughitsnotclearthatTuckerhadanyideathathehaddone
anythingdifferent).Isamistakethatothersthenbuildonacreativeinnovation?Doesit
becomecreativewhenotherspickitupandgowithit?Imnottryingtosettlethequestionof
whatcreativereallyis,butrathertosaywhyIthinkitsnotausefulideatoworkwith.
Iwontpursuethemanyothercomparativepossibilitiesthecommentatorshaveopenedup
here,butleavethatforthefurtherimprovisationsthisexchangemightprovoke.
References
Addelson,KathrynPyne.1991.ImpureThoughts:EssaysonPhilosophy,Feminism,and
Ethics.Philadelphia:TempleUniversityPress.
Berliner,PaulF.1994.ThinkingAboutJazz:TheInfiniteArtofImprovisation.Chicago:
http://howardsbecker.com/articles/improv.html

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UniversityofChicagoPress.
Monson,Ingrid.1996.SayingSomething:JazzImprovisationandInteraction.Chicago:
UniversityofChicagoPress.
Spolin,Viola.1963.Improvisationforthetheaterahandbookofteachinganddirecting
techniques.Evanston,IL:NorthwesternUniversityPress.

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