Experiencing Flow in Jazz Performance

The term flow refers to experiences where the musician moves into a consciousness in which time seems to be suspended and perception of reality is blurred by unconscious forces. An essential part of the jazz tradition, flow is recognised within the greater jazz community as a critical factor in accomplished musicianship and yet experiences of it are not generally discussed. Drawing on eighteen interviews conducted with professional jazz musicians from around the world, Elina Hytِnen-Ng examines the fundamentals of the phenomenon of flow in jazz. Furthermore, she draws on how flow experiences are viewed and constructed by jazz musicians, the meanings they attach to it, and the quality of music that it inspires.