Jazz
Anthony D. J. Branker
Princeton University
branker@Princeton.edu
Free To Be: Student Perceptions On Being Autonomous And
Collaborating In The Jazz Small Group, Part II
exchanged between musicians in any given moment can provide
T
hroughout the years that I have worked with jazz small
groups on the university, conservatory, and high school
unimagined possibilities for what might emerge as a result of their
levels, what I have found to be most fascinating is not
encounter. In view of this fact, each musician has the potential to
just what emerges musically as a result of the interactions between
shape and be shaped by the contributions of others as part of a
students within their groups, but also the type of sharing and
“dynamic reciprocity” (Berliner, 1997), thereby allowing for an
exchange that takes place while they attempt to develop under-
enriched collaborative experience.
standing. John-Steiner (2000) summarizes the central thrust of the
Several participants in this study noted that having the chance
research of Vygotsky (1978), which states that learning and creativ-
to work in a setting that provided a forum for students with differ-
ity take place in and from relationships with others. As a result, “the
ent perspectives and experiences to ‘be heard’ and contribute to the
ideas, tools, and processes that emerge from joint activity are appro-
group process was a positive aspect of their experience:
priated, or internalized, by the individual and become the basis of
• Cornelius offers the following: “Since this group was composed
the individual’s subsequent development” (p. 5). In this way, an
of such an eclectic group of people, I feel that I was exposed to
individual can be regarded as part of a system of mutual influences
new arenas of music… The group really showed me that with
and a contributor to the knowledge and creativity of a group.
the confluence of various backgrounds, you can really produce
Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct research aimed at
a unique sound – something that everyone in today’s musical
examining the interactions that took place between student musi-
society is striving for.”
cians who worked together in two jazz small groups in a self-direct-
• According to Joseph, the group experience “increased my aware-
ed manner for ten-weeks while engaged in music making on their
ness of my peers as a resource, and it created opportunities for
own terms. During their time together, each group focused on a
dialogue about the music, an important part of musical devel-
variety of collaborative activities that included: (1) creating collec-
opment.”
tively improvised group performances; (2) working in composer
groups to develop a composition that would be taught, rehearsed,
Benefits of Collaboration
and performed with other group members; and (3) creating a group
composition inspired by non-musical themes or sources (i.e. poetry,
There are many views on what constitutes collaboration that
visual arts, movement). In addition, one small group created its own
exist in the literature. It has been suggested that collaboration takes
interpretations and arrangements of existing works from the jazz
place when individuals work together to achieve a common goal
repertoire, while the other group prepared new compositions creat-
and, in the process, “make use of each other’s talents to do what they
ed by various ensemble members and a visiting guest composer.
either could not have done at all or as well alone” (Wildavsky, 1986,
In Part I of this article we had the opportunity to hear some of
p. 237). What results from this ‘necessary mutuality’ is a dynamic
the participant’s thoughts on what it was like to enjoy autonomy in
relationship that “thrives on diversity of perspectives and on con-
this setting. In Part II, I would like to share some of their percep-
structive dialogues between individuals negotiating their differences
tions on collaborating in this student-centered space.
while creating their shared voice and vision” (John-Steiner, 2000,
p.6). When students work together in such a space they have the
Exchange and Mutual Influence
chance to bring their own unique abilities and experiences to the
group, which can serve to inform, inspire, and shape the direction
Bastien & Hostager (1988) maintain that jazz performance is
of learning and creativity that takes place. In so doing, they “learn
inherently and fundamentally a collective activity and is most typi-
from each other by teaching what [they] know” (John-Steiner, 2000,
cally a social process, involving a group of inventive or creative musi-
p. 3).
cians. They state that, “The jazz process is built on the assumption
A number of students shared what they perceived to be the ben-
that each individual musician is simultaneously and consciously
efits of working in a collaborative setting as well as what constitutes
adapting to the whole, supporting the other players, and mutually
a ‘successful’ collaboration:
influencing the outcome” (p. 583). Consequently, that which is
• As Michael offers, “When collaboration is successful, it is all the
TEMPO 60 MAY 2009
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