What is Jazz?

Jazz is often considered “free” and “spontaneous”, and yet it takes a lifetime of dedication to achieve such freedom. What is really happening when musicians improvise? Is it pure invention, or a highly structured language learned over time?

This lecture explores jazz as both a musical style and a way of thinking, revealing the hidden frameworks behind improvisation. Through examples and insights, we uncover how musicians create coherence, surprise, and meaning in real time, and why improvisation remains one of music’s most compelling skills and mysteries.