I investigated the thought processes of seven artist-level jazz musicians. Although jazz artists in the past have spoken extensively about the improvisational process, most have described improvisation only in general terms or have discussed specific recorded improvisations long after the recordings had been made. To date, no study has attempted to record artists’ perceptions of their improvisational thinking regarding improvisations they had just performed. Seven jazz artists recorded an improvised solo based on a blues chord progression accompanied only by a drum track. New technologies made it possible to notate the recorded material as it was being performed. After completing their improvisations, participants described in a directed interview, during which they listened to their playing and looked at the notation of their solos, the thinking processes that led to the realization of their performances. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a qualitative research methodology. Six main themes were identified through the coding of the interviews. In all of the interviews, artists described making sketch plans, which outlined one or more musical features of upcoming passages. These plans became increasingly more explicit as the time to play each idea approached. The artists also described monitoring and evaluating their own output as they performed, making judgments that were often incorporated into future planning. Interestingly, the artists at times expressed surprise in hearing what they were playing, indicating that not all of the improvisations were based on ideas that were first imagined before they were played. The artists described four strategies for generating the note content of their improvisations: recalling well-learned ideas from memory and inserting them into the ongoing improvisation, choosing notes based on a harmonic priority, choosing notes based on a melodic priority, and repeating material played in earlier sections of the improvisation. / text

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Music. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 326-347). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR19817

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1974. / Sponsor: Robert Pace. Dissertation Committee: J. Marion Magill. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 252-259). "Selective annotated discography": leaves 260-268.

Treatise (D.M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

Thesis (D. Mus. Arts)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-79).

Thesis--Wesleyan University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 191-205). Discography: leaves 168-190.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Minnesota, 1964. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 240-242).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 252-267).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University, 1982. / "Lead sheets for themes": v. 2, leaves 296-419. Vita. Lead sheets, leaves 297-419 of v. 2, not included in photocopy. Includes bibliographical references (v. 1, leaves 338-345).