Welcome to this ongoing exploration of the music of jazz and the life of the Spirit! It will be the platform for sharing discoveries and connections, as I develop a project called, "Thriving on a Riff: Jazz and the Spiritual Life."
The title is intriguing, but not completely original. "Thriving on a Riff" is the alternate title for a tune by Charlie Parker, otherwise called "Anthropology." You can listen to it by clicking here. It's one of many new melodies that Parker and his colleagues invented on the chord changes of "I've Got Rhythm." In the original recording, the melody doesn't appear until thirty seconds before the conclusion.
What would it mean to thrive on a riff? Seems nonsensical to the non-musician. A "riff" is a musical phrase, often repeated, usually brief, and frequently the basis of a creating a melody. The old swing tune "In the Mood" is a perfect example of a riff, repeated and adjusted numerous times to create a danceable melody for a blues in the key of Ab.
Yet to thrive - not merely live or survive, but to thrive - seems to me to be the aim of human life. What I hope to explore is how music, particularly improvised music, can teach us about thriving.
Feel free to join the conversation. You can follow the posts by entering (and confirming) your email address in the window on the left. I hope you will.
Until next time,
Bill Carter
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