Description: 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 Hytönen-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.
Review Quotes: 'This book provides useful insight into the experience of being a performing jazz musician. Drawing on rich qualitative data, Hytönen-Ng provides an understanding of how Flow experiences rely upon interactions between numerous factors, including identity, relationships with co-performers, audiences and venues and considers how such experiences lead ultimately to more satisfying performances. Recommended for anyone interested in understanding musicians' experiences of live jazz performance. ' Karen Burland, University of Leeds, UK 'Elina Hytönen-Ng's book is a welcome and valuable contribution to the field, and it is hoped that it will invite further research of flow in jazz practice and in other areas of music performance'. Music and Letters 'This focus could serve music educators at the undergraduate and graduate level in addressing issues of musicianship and collectivity. Many of the themes extracted from the discussions: the relationship of the individual to the group, the impact of audiences and physical spaces on performance, and the role of spirituality in creative approaches, would fuel discussions that could impact performance practice. Experiencing Flow also contributes to the study of music cognition. ... As a study that explores music through the motivations that drive its creation, Experiencing Flow provides a multidisciplinary work which can inform studies of why we make music'. Popular Music