Harmony, melody and rhythm are the three building blocks of improvised music such as jazz, where composition is subordinate to the performance itself. The rhythm parameter not only distinguishes instrumentalists in jazz from each other, with their personal rhythmic phrasing, but the jazz genre from other improvised idioms as well. Despite the pronounced importance of this musical building block, many (pre)professional improvisers and composers lack knowledge about the possibilities with rhythm.
When composing and improvising, a constant balance between the three musical building blocks is required. The method developed in the study "The Power of Rhythm in Jazz Improvisation and Composition" maps the influence of rhythm on the other building blocks: harmony and melody. The didactic tool will help both improvisers and composers to understand the influence of rhythm on harmony and melody, and will enable them to deal innovatively with the balance between these three musical building blocks. The research will provide the jazz improviser and composer with a powerful tool in her/his artistic trajectory.
In collaboration with international musicians, improvisers and composers, Nabou Claerhout will develop and refine this method.
