Introduction
Only four measures are left before it's my turn to solo, and the adrenaline rush is overwhelming. The dimly lit, smoky jazz club is packed with local aficionados. Guymon Ensley, the bandleader, finishes his scorching trumpet solo, and the crowd erupts with applause. The attention turns to me, as it's now my turn to improvise.
With less than 1 percent of the notes on the written page, I have to make up the rest as I go—spontaneous creativity in real time, no going back to correct mistakes or rethink a passage. The pressure is on, but then again so is the excitement. It's time to bring everything I have to this moment, to deliver a sound that's both technically pure and infused with creativity. Passion and skill must work together to ...
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