De Frie Ledetoner - En kunstnerisk kreativ undersøkelse av utvidet funksjonalisme i jazzimprovisasjon

Abstract

This thesis describes Kimestad’s own practice as an improviser and process of internalizing a chosen set of music theoretical perspectives as improvisational skills. It contains two distinct parts – an artistic and a scientific investigation – which are considered intertwined. Through an artistic and theoretical exploration of the properties of leading-tones, Kimestad expands on the concepts of functional harmony and thus creates an understanding of structure and harmony in his own improvisational style. The main quest of this work is to demonstrate the use of extended functionalism in jazz-improvisation, and how leading-tones can play a key role in the becoming of improvised harmonic progressions. This is investigated from different angels in six albums pertaining hereto. It is furthermore the writer’s opinion that valuable ethnomusicological information may be disregarded by not reckoning the harmonic content of free improvisation. The analyses are done by transcribing and analyzing excerpts from the different sound recordings and seeks to verify the connections between this dissertations theoretical and artistic thrusts. By emphasizing a performers perspective, Kimestad wishes to contribute to the understanding of jazz-improvisation and artistic processes.