Buddy DeFranco on staying free

Now, a Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "Hark" CD: Oscar Peterson/Buddy DeFranco: Hark, Pablo OJCCD-867-2 (2310-915) (cut 7)

According to NEA Jazz Master Buddy DeFranco, one of the great challenges of jazz is to maintain the confidence to freely express yourself -- even in the most intimidating circumstances.

Buddy DeFranco: When you're playing jazz you have to somehow overcome that feeling of being intimidated because that's your aim is to portray that freedom in what you're playing. And the only way you can do it is live with the intimidation and kinda make it work for you. And you know your brain is always way ahead of your actual ability at any time.

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Buddy DeFranco: It's like a language, you all have certain clichés, you all have patterns that you use when you play. But it's the way you use them and mold a story out of it that makes a difference. And I always feel like out of every session that I do, whether it's a record session or even a concert, I like to think that there was something in there that I didn't do before. And that's my goal.

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This Jazz Moment with clarinetist Buddy DeFranco was produced by the National Endowment for the Arts.