Hubert Laws on the freedom of improvisation

NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Moments Notice

Hubert Laws:  I had no idea that flute playing would become therapeutic for me. I carry my flute around everywhere I go and pull it out, ?cause it actually becomes a panacea for me.

NEA JAZZ MASTER HUBERT LAWS IS JUST AS COMFORTABLE PLAYING A JAZZ CLUB AS HE IS ONSTAGE WITH A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.  HE SPENT FOUR YEARS IN HIS EARLY CAREER AS A SUBSTITUTE FLUTIST FOR THE METROPOLITAN OPERA AND NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC, WORKING WITH LEONARD BERNSTEIN AND MANY OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST CONDUCTORS.  AMAZING EXPERIENCES, BUT SOMETHING WAS MISSING...

Hubert Laws:  After I had done that, I began to appreciate something that I took for granted.  That is, the ability to improvise.  Because human beings are free moral agents.  Free will is something we all enjoy.  And then I begin to think about, man, how much freedom I just have been enjoying and took it for granted.  So instead of playing and practicing only the concerti and the sonatas, hey, I started applying that same discipline toward improvisation.

MUSIC: up for punctuation, then fades under and out

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH FLUTIST HUBERT LAWS WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.  I'M CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE.