This is the tenth interview from a 2018 series by Caroline Kraabel, initially broadcast on London's art radio station, Resonance 104.4 FM. Improviser (piano, keyboards, theremini, electronics) and thinker Pat Thomas talks about improvisation and history.
lyrics
'Why do I improvise? Improvisation is just a much more satisfactory way of making music for me. We have to ask questions, because in the west we have this idea that improvisation is separate from western culture, but that’s only since the 17th century – up until then improvisation was always part and parcel of western music making. The reason we’re asking questions like this is that something happened to western music then, and that is why we now have to ask why improvisation matters. If you think about Bach or other great classical composers, they all improvised.' Pat Thomas
credits
from Why is Improvising Important?,
released January 23, 2019
Recorded by Caroline Kraabel; thanks to Pat Thomas, Resonance 104.4 FM and John Edwards.
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