Dao De Jing Book XXIX
Whoever takes hold of the realm
And wants to manipulate it
Will have no peace.
The realm is a sacred vessel
That should not be interfered with.
Whoever touches it will spoil it.
Whoever grasps it will lose it.
Some lead and some follow,
Some breathe easily, some breathe hard,
Some are strong and some are weak,
Some destroy: some are destroyed.
So the wise avoid excess,
Avoid the pompous, and the arrogant.
This excerpt comes from the philosophical maxims of Lao Tzu. Eastern religion has always maintained a fundamental understanding of the order/chaos dichotomy. Despite the ancient, ethereal nature of this text, it holds significant correlation to countless aspects of life.
In many ways, the creation of jazz solos follows the instructional guidelines presented by Lao Tzu in this poetic piece. The first section of advice warns against seeking manipulative control of any part of your life. Control, a manifestation of order, constricts the wellspring of chaos, and excludes the minute idiosyncrasies that are inherent to creativity and intrigue. In a jazz improvisational piece, control is likewise detrimental. The beauty of a well crafted solo is its ability to relinquish control, deviate from conventional rhythms and melodies, and fluidly react to the shifts and choices of fellow musicians. Key signatures, time signatures, and melodic motifs are mere suggestions, providing a launch pad for the imagination of the improvising soloist.
The second piece of advice regards the potency of simplicity. The space between notes and beats is just as important as the notes and beats themselves. A sparse, syncopated collection of harmonious notes is a far more engaging, emotionally stimulating sound than a perpetual strum of 32nd notes. Simplicity offers the space to include soul and passion, and truly connect with each note and riff you conjure. It is a form of egoless expression.
This excerpt itself adheres to the ideas it seeks to present. It is a simple, short poem, yet it contains truth applicable to nearly every aspect of life, across all times and paradigms.