Jazz Painting/Abstract Music

Two days ago, hubby and I went to a spectacular concert by the amazing

Winston Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Ensemble.  I was a bit wary of

going to a jazz concert because I’ve never been a fan of that type of music,

being that I've confused it with unstructured improvisational jazz.

So what does this have to do with ART?  As I’ve started delving into more

abstract painting, I’m seeing a direct correlation between jazz and

contemporary art.

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rhythms, and movement.  [I’ve been trying to find the direct correlation between

music and art for years.  There must be a way to translate Beethoven’s music

to a painting, don’t you think?]

Anyone hear of Synesthesia? Raise your hand if you see colors when you

listen to music or if certain letters of the alphabet must be rendered in

specific colors. [In my mind, the number 3 must always be yellow and A must

be red].   For me, when listening to trumpets, I see orange, golds, etc.

When listening to a bass being plucked, I see undertones of browns and blacks.

When listening to the classical piece THE MOLDAU by Smetena, I see deep

blues and purples.

So, as I listened to this fabulous concert, that spanned different eras of

jazz, like Big Band to BeBop to Scat, I saw paintings emerging before my

eyes.

Sharp strokes, and soft passages.  Broad areas of smooth tones and little

nonsensical notes of the vocal sounds of Scat.  I left the concert energized

and ready to pick up my pastels and translate what I’d just heard to a 2-

dimensional surface.

I was so surprised that I really enjoyed the ‘jazz’ which I’d always written

off as lacking structure.  Before, if it wasn’t ‘classical,’ I didn’t listen

to it.  But now, I’m seeing new territories open up before me!  If you’re

ever in a slump or feeling uninspired, try listening to some music and

envisioning the colors it evokes.  This concert inspired new concepts and

perhaps a little bit of fearlessness to try some unexpected and surprising

venues, like a Jazz Painting!