I am watching a Zoom rehearsal led by one of my mentors and remembering the moment I first wanted to arrange music.
April had written an arrangement of “Route 66” for my high school vocal jazz group on a flight home from Europe. It was mostly an extended solo feature so that she could feature each member of the group singing 4 or 8 bars. But the ending included some 4-part writing.
When she handed us photocopies of her handwritten manuscript, and described writing it on her tray table on a plane, I was amazed. To create this music in your head, and then turn it into something in the world, inspired me. That a few minutes later, as we rehearsed, she then rewrote the final chord, taking a moment mid-rehearsal, only made me more hungry to grow my understanding of this music and create it myself.
The intimate understanding of jazz harmony that it takes to do either of those things – write on a plane, or rewrite in real time in front of an ensemble – remains an inspiring and motivating force in my own writing growth. My whole writing journey pivots on that one moment.