I once took a very long lesson (entire day) with Bern Nix from Ornette Coleman's group (the grandfather of Free Jazz), we talked about the mechanics behind Harmolodics, Ornette's theory of Free Improv.
Instead of playing things that we already know and patterns rehearsed, he imparted to me the concepts behind letting everything you know just go, keeping your technique poised for free-flow thoughts and interaction. Distancing yourself from your expectations, allowing there to be a Collective Consciousness within the room, within the musicians, the surrendering of Ego.
I realized how difficult it was to maintain this type of improv, it was brutally honest, to yourself at the very least, you can't lie to yourself, you know when you are 'really' free-formin' and when you were not.
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