Jazz is often considered the quintessential American music genre, and it has a unique language that sets it apart from other forms of music. It encompasses not only the music itself but also the way in which it is performed and the cultural context in which it evolved. At its core, jazz is a conversation rooted in improvisation.

Jazz music is created “in the moment” by responding to the music of fellow musicians and the energy of the audience. This requires thinking on one's feet, listening to and responding to musical “conversations,” and a willingness to take risks and experiment with new ideas.

Listen as Courtney Burton explains the uniqueness of jazz and the ability to play with a brand new group of musicians for the first time.

Video Transcript

With people who understand the language of the music, you can play with just about anybody.

We have had gigs where there have been people who have never played together but are very accomplished musicians. You put out what the setlist is, so people understand what the music and what order we're going to play the songs, and you give them the key signature that it's in. They know what they're doing, and invariably, somewhere in the night, somebody who's there as a participant at the event will come up and say, “Oh my God, how long have you guys been together?” The real answer is, oh, about an hour and a half. But of course, we don't say that. A lot of times with jazz musicians, that's exactly it. It might be the very first time they've been involved in a musical conversation together.