Introduction DuringthelasttwoyearsIhavebeenprofoundlyinspiredbytwogreatthings:Theswinging musicofOscarPeterson(19252007)andthelifeaffirmingwritingsofFriedrichNietzsche (18441900).EvenThoughtheyexpressthemselvesindifferentways,Iseeinteresting resemblancesintheirwork. MyassumptionisthatNietzsche'stheoriesoftheDionysianandapollonianandit'spresencein thegreektragedyhasthesameliberatingandreleasingabilityasjazzmusic.Iwilldothisby readingNietzschesBirthofthetragedyfrom1872andbyexaminethemusicandlifeofOscar Peterson.IhopethisessaywillshowtherelationshipbetweenphilosophyandJazzmusicand giveperspectivesonhowourlifeandsocietycanimprove.Mygoalisnottostateacertaintruth, buttoinspirepeopletofindtheirowntorephrasethefamouswordsofEpicurus:thatphilosophy whichdoesntinspire,isfalse! DionysosandApollo InNietzsche'sfirstbookThebirthofthetragedy,hetalksabouttwodifferentsidesofhuman nature:theDionysianandtheApollonian.

DionysoswastheGodoflust,sufferingand drunkennessoftheancientgreeks.ApollowastheGodofimages,dreamsandorder.Nietzsche sawtheseoppositessuccessfullycombinedinthegreektragedies,suchastheplaysof SophoclesandAeschylus.Hisassumptionisthatmusicwasthedeepestexpressionofa metaphysicaltruthinlife.Thesourcefromwhereallotherartformsarederived.Intheprocess ofcreatingmusicthestartingpointisanecstatic,dionysiandesiretoexpressandcreate.Thisis aprereflectivestatewherethepersonalandconscientperspectivearegone.Astatewherethe artistcreatesandexpresseshimselfimmediately.Butthenthere'satransformation:Nietzsche usesthetragedyTheBacchaebyEuripidestodescribeswhathappens: weseeDionysusandthemaenadsweseetheintoxicatedrevellerArchilochussunk downinsleepasEuripidesdescribesitforusintheBacchae,asleepinahighAlpinemeadow inthemiddaysunandnowApollostepsuptohimandtoucheshimwithhislaurel.The Dionysianmusicalenchantmentofthesleepernow,asitwere,flashesaroundhimfieryimages, lyricalpoems,whicharecalled,intheirhighestform,tragediesanddramaticdithyrambs. Thebirthofthetragedy5 ArchilochusistouchedbythelaurelofApolloandhisdionysiandreamworldischangedinto tragediesanddithyrambs.Theapolloniantranslatesandarticulatestheimmediatedionysian expressionandtransformsitintoimagesandlanguage.Inotherwordsthespontaneous, ecstaticdionysianexpressionisshiftingfromaprivateperspectiveintosomethingcommonplace andmeaningful,asthetragedy.Notonlymeaningfultotheartisthimselfbuttoothersaswell. Insteadofbeingstrangers,theoppositesDionysosandApolloarecombinedinoneexpression thetragedy: Here,theloftyandhighlypraisedartisticachievementofAttictragedyandofthe dramaticdithyrambpresentsitselfbeforeoureyes,asthecommongoalofbothimpulses, whosesecretmarriagepartnership,afteralongantecedentstruggle,glorifieditselfwithsucha childatonceAntigoneandCassandra. Thebirthofthetragedy4.

JazzandOscarPeterson IfwetakeacloserlookatthenatureofjazzandmorespecificintothemusicofOscarPeterson andatthesametimeapplyNietzsche'sthoughtsonthegreektragedy,itraisessomeinteresting questionsandgivesussomeprofoundperspectives,notonlyonmusic,butalsoonsocietyand lifeingeneral. WhatfirstcomestomymindwhenlisteningtoPeterson'simprovisation,ishislight,easyand elegantexpression.Andyetsopowerful!Themusicseemstoflowfromhimeffortlesslyand unstoppablejoyfulandconvincing.Yougettheimpressionthathe'ssosure,sopresentandso intothemusicthathisimprovisationscouldn'tbedoneinanyotherway. IshisimprovisationatestimonyofwhatNietzscheunderstoodasDionysian?Anintense,joyful, ecstaticandimmediateexpressionofrawhumanemotions? ItseemstomethatPetersonisabletoexpressthemostbasichumanemotionssuchasjoy, happiness,suffering,power,fear,weakness.OnthesametimeyouexperienceanApollonian elementinhismusic:heisabletoputtheseemotionsintoaform.Hegavethemawaytobe articulatedthroughhisstrictarrangements,hisimpressivetechnique,hisabsolutecontrolofthe instrument,hisenormousknowledgeoftheoryanddifferentjazztunes. Rhythmastheapollonianform ButthemoststrikingapollonianaspectinPetersonsmusicandinmostjazzisinmyopinionthe rhythm.Therhythminjazzisnormallycharacterizedbyitsfourbeatstructurewithanemphasis onthe2ndand4thbeat.TheImprovisationischaracterizedbyitssyncopation:Anunpredictable seriesofnoteswhichrhythmicallyemergeonvariousplacesaroundthebeat.JazzeducatorHal Galperhassomeprettyinterestingthoughtsonthismatter.Hestatesthatwhythis improvisationalstyleinJazzissospecial,isthatithasaveryuniquestructure:Itcombinesthe fourbeatrhythmwiththesyncopatedjazzrhythm.Thusgivingroomforastrictpredictableand commonbeateverybodycanlockintowhilegivingroomtothepersonal,unpredictable, immediate,prereflectiveandsyncopatedimprovisation.AshestateYoucanbepartofagroup andstillretainyourindividuality.IthinkJazzandthegreektragedyhasthisincommon:Bothcan containandexpresscontradictorystatesinoneexpression. Theimportanceofboththedionysianandapollonianaspects Nietzscheputsheavyemphasisonthedionysian,describingitasthefundamentalmetaphysical expression.Whendealingwithjazzandotherartformspeopletendtoforgettheimportanceof combiningthedionysianandtheapollonian.Eithertheypassionatelyemphasizethedionysian whilearrogantlyneglectingtheapollonian.Ontheotherhandyoucanalsoexperienceart becomingtooinstitutionalized,andseepeoplefleeingintothesafeapollonianformsandhappily forgettingthedionysian.Bothsideshastoberespectedandnurtured.Tome,thatswhenart becomesgreat.Becausethentheexpressionisntjustbeautifulorinteresting.Italsogivesitan authorityandintegrity.Itbecomesinspiringandbecomesanexampletofollow.Petersonisa perfectexample:Joyful,present,sparklingandimmediatewhenimprovising.Yethehasputan enormousamountoftimeandseriousnessintohismusic:practice,preparingandarranging.He talksabouthowhefromanearlyagelearnedtostriveforthebest,howhelearnedtorespectthe

instrumentandtocarefullypracticeeverydayforhours.Heknewwhathewanted,wherehe wantedtogoandhestoodupforit.Hetookhistalentandhismusicseriouslyandhewasmore thanwillingtowalkthatextramiletocreategreatthings.InthatmatterIthinkOscarPetersonis agreatinspirationtoallofus.Especiallyinoursocietywhereitseemslikethatthehumbleand seriousapproachtolearnandtoimproveyourskillsisneglected.Whiletellingastoryofhow skillfulyouareatsomethingandtopromoteyourself,sadlyseemstobeamoreimportantto many. Contraryemotionsunitedandliberatedinthetragedyandjazz ThegreektragedywasaplacewheretheDionysianjoyandsuffering,wasgivenanapollonian expression:Weseeemotionsbeingtransformintoexpressionlanguage,images,lyrics, dancing.InthesamewayIthinkwecandetecttheseoriginalbasichumanemotionsinjazz.But weseethattheytooaretransformedintoacommonlanguageasinthetragedies.Becauseof practice,knowledge,andcraftsmanshiptheimmediateimpulsesofdesireandemotionsare beingtransformedintosoundswhichappearbeautifulorrecognizabletoothersbesidesthe performerhimself.Theprivateemotionsarebeingcarefullyexpressed,andbythatveryact,it connectstheartistsprivateimpulsesandemotions,withothers,withtheworld. Nietzschearticulatingthefear Nietzschearticulatedthislineofthoughtinhiswriting.Hewasabletousethelanguagevery ambiguousandsophisticated.Hedevelopedthisstylethroughouthisauthorship.Itsbeautifully exemplifiedinhispoeticphilosophicalworkAlsoSprachZarathustrafrom188385:Inthistext hetouchesandarticulatestheintenseandoftendarkforceswithin,butatthesametime,and thatstheimportantthing,hegavethemapoeticandbeautifulexpression.Hegaveprivate emotionsacommonandunderstandablelanguagewithhisuseofsymbolsandpictures.He advocatedacceptanceofthedarkandthescarytogetaricherandmorebeautifulperspective onlifeandtobeabletodevelopashuman: Tobesure,Iamaforest,andanightofdarktrees:but hewhoisnotafraidofmydarkness,willfindbanksfullof rosesundermycypresses. AlsoSprachZarathustra.Part2,Thedancesong Theresadarkandscarysideofhumanbeing,buttoface,acceptandarticulatethissidein ourselvesaswellasinothersisawaytoovercomeitandtofindbeauty,meaningandlife. PerspectivesonJazzandthetragedy Ifwetakethesetwopremisesfortrue:1)Thatmanisasocialbeingwithbasicneedsand emotions.And2)Thatlifehasnomeaningexcepttheonehumanactivitiesgivesit.Thenthe veryactofsharingthemostbasichumanemotionsmustbeaverypowerfulwayofconnecting withothersandtocreatemeaninginameaninglessworld.Nietzschesawthisacceptanceand artisticexpressionoftheDionysianastheonethingwhogavemeaninginaworldfullofsuffering andcontradictions.AndhesawtheDionysianmusicexpressedasthethingwhojustifiedall contradictionsandsufferings.Asolutiontotheoldtheodicyproblem:

Thesameimpulsewhichsummonsartintolifeastheseductivereplenishmentfor furtherlivingandthecompletionofexistencealsogaverisetotheOlympianworld,inwhichthe HellenicWillheldbeforeitselfatransfiguringmirror.Inthisway,thegodsjustifythelivesof men,becausetheythemselvesliveitthatistheonlysatisfactorytheodicy! Thebirthofthetragedy3. Ithinkitsimportanttofindandusesymbols,languagesandexpressionsofourmostbasic emotions.Especiallyemotionswhicharelabeledastabooorshameful.Nietzsche(and Dostoevsky)wasamongthefirsttodescribetheinnerlifeofmanhisdrivesandthe unconsciousness.WhichlaterwasdevelopedbySigmundFreud.Freudshowedusthatifour emotionsarebeingrepresseditwillcomeoutinsomeother(oftendestructive)form.InOnthe Genealogyofmoralsfrom1887Nietzschedescribeshowrepressedfeelingsofenvyand bitternesscanresultinthedevelopmentofheavenlyandidealisticvalues,createdonlytocope withtheseunwantedandrepressedemotions.ResultinginwhatNietzschecalledtheslave morality.IthinkbothJazzandthegreektragedyisabletotranslateandunderstandourmost basicemotionsandthusliberatethem.Itcanmakeaprivateemotionwhichcanseemshameful inonesownmind,lessscarybecauseitisbeingtransformedintosomethingbeautifuland meaningful.Andbecauseitsanemotionotherpeoplehaveexperiencedorcanrelatetoinsome way. Endingandmusic! Nietzschediedin1900.OneyearlaterLouisArmstrongwasborninNewOrleans.Themanwho inventedjazzandtaughttheworldhowtoswing.Agreatlineofjazzmusiciansfollowed Armstrongandswungintheirownway.OscarPetersonwasoneofthem.Continentalsand decadesapartanddespitedifferentexpressionsthephilosophyandpoetryofNietzscheandthe swingingjazzmusicofOscarPetersonarecloselyrelated. IwillconcludethisessaywithapieceperformedbytheOscarPetersonTrioandcomposedby PetersoncalledSalutetoBach.Itcouldntbeabetterexampletoexemplifythethoughtsinthis text.ItsNielsHenningrstedPedersenonbassandMartinDrewondrums.Thingstolookout for:Whatsdoesherepeat?Whendoesthesyncopationmergewiththefourbeatrhythm?How doesthetriosuseofvolumeanddynamicsaffectyou?Whatseemsimprovisedandwhat seemsarranged?Andlotsofotherthingstolookoutfor.Butthemostimportantistoenjoythis sublimeandwonderfulmusic! SalutetoBachTheOscarPetersonTrio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPPQLzwCosI

References: TheBirthoftheTragedyFriedrichNietzsche ThusspokeZarathustraFriedrichNietzsche OnthegenealogyofMoralsFriedrichNietzsche

ForwardMotionHalGalper HalGalperonsyncopation:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2XnB5G6oSc WegetRequestsTheOscarPetersonTrio Keepingthegroovealive.DocumentaryonOscarPeterson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4lhfoFv9Uw ThankstoSrenWellingandChristianHenriksenforhelpandcorrections.