How do you interpret rhythms in a score?
It certainly depends on the genre – I’m going to interpret Palestrina’s rhythms literally. But in jazz, pop, and related genres, I think the best approach is to use the expression we hear used to describe certain political speeches: Take them seriously but not literally.
An ensemble’s rhythmic interpretation needs to be consistent, unified, and reflect an informed interpretation of the piece. But the interpretation does not need to be precisely true to what’s on the page. Triplets can shift, straight rhythms can be subtly syncopated,
Take the rhythms in the score seriously, but don’t take them literally. Give the ensemble time to develop their interpretation into something specific and intentional to reflect their musicality.