Improvised Music after 1950: Afrological and Eurological Perspectives by George E. Lewis is an article surrounding the topic of improvisation and its function in music and its roots in “Eurological” and “Afrological” music. During the 1950s, Bebop rose in popularity with its improvisations that told a story of the musicians culture, race, and socioeconomic standing. Not only this, but Jazz’ ancestors had elements of improvisation which has impacted the genre as a whole. Despite its popularity, there were still texts and criticisms surrounding the topic of “American music since 1945” which erases African American musical forms, such as Bebop, impact on improvisation and focuses extensively on European musical forms impact (Lewis, 92). The article discusses improvisation from the musical perspective of two esteemed artists, Charlie Parker and John Cage, who have contributed to improvised music after the 1950s. This article also discusses the author’s system of “improvisative musicality” which is based on music’s historical social and cultural location. These improvisative musicality system are referred as Afrological and Eurological. Parker represents the Afrological form’s impact on improvisation whereas Cage represents the Eurological form’s impact. Throughout the article, it continues to discuss both perspectives of improvisational music, its true meaning, and how other artists fit under the term “Improvised Music”.
Epilogue: Jazz as a Way of Life by Paul Berliner is an article that explores the true meaning of being a Jazz musician and its creative and imaginative pursuits. Like the previously mentioned article, improvisation is the main focus of the article except it is in regards to the learning experiences of both new and experienced Jazz musicians. Although it seems like improvisation is a process that occurs in the moment, it is about living “the life of a Jazz musician” so one can truly learn and understand how one can perform jazz and develop their own style and improvisations (Berliner, 486). The way of life of a Jazz player consists of the preoccupation with musical ideas in and outside practice rooms and utilizing one’s surroundings for inspiration. Throughout the article, it discusses the practice, process, and musical knowledge that is needed in order to improvise and perform songs that will be able to tell stories and express ideas.
In both of these works, there are different perspectives on improvisation in music, particularly Jazz. Although they are different perspectives, they do have ideas that resonate with one another on the topic of improvisation and its place in music. For example, Bebop introduced a new outlet of both collective and individual creativity. It allowed jazz musicians to express to their listeners “the realness of black people’s actual position in America” (Lewis 95). This Afrological musical form allowed the listeners to understand and feel what these musicians feel and experience as black musicians through their songs and improvisations. In Berliner’s article, it is said that learners must experience life as a jazz musician so they can perform Jazz. Not only this, it speaks of several musicians, such as Duke Ellington and Max Roach, who uses their surroundings and human relationships in their songs (Berliner, 487). This connection to their natural settings allows one to truly enter the world of these musicians and listen to what they experience. Through these pieces, the listeners can connect and identify with the musicians and their experiences. Both of these articles discuss how jazz and improvisation surrounds the musicians true experiences in life but it is not the only theme that these two works share.
In the article Improvised Music after 1950: Afrological and Eurological Perspectives, the Eurological perspective of improvisation states that the performers were guided by rules and goals. The Eurological composer Stockhausen said that one must connect improvisations with formulae, schemata, and stylistic elements (Lewis, 116). This means that improvisation is not just a process that just anyone can do. Improvisation, according to the Eurological perspective, is based off the musician’s knowledge of music and its rules and must apply this knowledge to specific situations when one is improvising in a piece. Although Eurological musicians and composers may disagree, Jazz musicians are also guided by their musical knowledge, rules, and goals when improvising. Jazz musicians must depend on their experience and musical knowledge in order to form improvisations that fits the situation and its “compositional conditions” while sounding logical and cohesive (Berliner, 492). Both Afrological and Eurological musicians must use their experience and their knowledge in order to create a piece that expresses their ideas. The two articles showed two different aspects of improvisation, one based on a historical and analytical aspect whereas the other based on the personal experiences of jazz musicians. Although they were both very different, the articles shared many similar points of improvisation and how it is portrayed by musicians.
It was interesting to read and experience improvisation from the Afrological and Eurological perspective and from a piece advising those on how to become a true jazz musicians. It was surprising to see how musicians would try to separate themselves and their musical practices, in this case improvisation, from jazz musicians. Although Eurological musical forms and musicians tried to claim the creation of improvisation, both Eurological and Afrological music falls under improvised music. The term “Improvised music” allows one to acknowledge the European’s native model of improvisation and how it is been influenced by Afrological forms (Lewis, 112). No matter if music comes from different backgrounds, musicians will continue to learn new musical techniques and genres that will allow them to express their ideas and feelings efficiently. Artists from all musical backgrounds draw their inspirations by everything around them and their own experiences, allowing them to be introduced to new genres and styles (Berliner, 488). Despite separating the backgrounds of improvisation in Lewis’ article, it can be seen that improvised music are influenced by many genres of music. Music is forever changing and adjusting to new methods and genres. Music, although separated into genres, will continuously influence one another and continue to grow from the musician’s experiences. Due to this constant influence, musicians will continue to grow and develop their own styles of music just like how Afrological and Eurological musicians had. Although these perspectives essentially tried to remove one another from the history and development of improvisational music, they influenced one another and will continuously draw more inspiration from each other and other genres which will only allow further development of improvisational music.