“The problem with our bias against improv, both in jazz and basketball, is that it fails to recognize all the mental labor behind these forms of entertainment. That jazz quartet might make their music look easy – the players are just playing – but that ease is an illusion. In reality, those musicians are relying on an intricate set of musical patterns, which allow them to invent beauty in real time. Likewise, that Chris Paul assist might seem like a lucky bounce pass, but it’s actually a by-product of some exquisite perceptual analysis. Instead of appreciating the uncanny quickness of these improv artists – watching in awe as they make something out of nothing before our very eyes – we disparage them as mere performers, unaware of all the work and smarts going on behind the scenes.”

Basketball and Jazz | Wired Science | Wired.com

Word.

  • Wired

Notes

  1. kazeita reblogged this from markcoatney
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    “The problem with our bias against improv, both in jazz and basketball, is that it fails to recognize all the mental...
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  6. bmichael said: Definitely… but does anyone really think Chris Paul is just “lucky?” Seems like this paragraph at least is talking about people who don’t exist.
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