Jazz... How Do I Heart Thee

I used to have a CD entitled "A Jazzy Christmas". Not sure where it is now, but I'm pretty sure that it consisted of all the greatest jazzy holiday instrumentals known to man. I need to find that thing. After all, I'm already hearing holiday tunes when I'm out and about shopping for supplies for all of my new holiday themed projects. I better get with the retail program.

Jazz might be, in fact, my favorite style of music to jump start a creative crash session. Why is that, do you think? I've read all about how classical music is a great mind-exerciser and how it's ideal for creativity. And I do enjoy some classical. But jazz... how do I heart thee? Let me count the ways!

1. Jazz has layered texture that my brain translates into visual composition - When I hear jazz, I 'see' jazz in beads and stones and as a wearable design. Each instrument plays a design that I feel compelled to layer out and build on.

2. Jazz evokes moods - I remember the first time I saw Phantom of the Opera (the new one). I had my stones out ready and willing to make something lovely. I played off of the romance and grandeur of the music and came up with something utterly stunning that evening. I realize the soundtrack wasn't packed full of jazzy tunes, but my creativity reacts to jazz the same way it did to that movie. A mood rises to the surface of my consciousness and it must be translated by my fingers when I hear jazz.

3. Jazz makes me feel like the most elegant version of myself - Thus the "Epitome of Elegance Me" takes wild chances with color and texture and design techniques that she wouldn't were she not feeling so whimsical. That's the reason I was adamant about having most of the music at my wedding (only 3 months ago) be predominantly jazz... because it draws out the most glamorous me there is.

4. Jazz causes me to dream about what the past looks like redefined - Most of the jazz that I love most is from years gone by. And because I was not around when those songs were written, I'm aware that the world was another place then. But I, in this day and age along with my modern influences, have the pleasure of reinventing a bit of history in a visual context. I've thought, at times, about naming pieces based on the song that inspired them. The problem with that is there are so many different songs that may merge together to help me discover a design. Or maybe the song inspires 10 different designs over a period of a month. Should I really name each piece "When I Fall In Love 1", "When I Fall In Love 2", "When I Fall In Love 3", ect. Yeah, I didn't think so either.

So I'll ask the question again... Jazz, how do I heart thee? I guess I heart thee x four tonight. I could probably go on and on and on. But, unless you love jazz with the same intensity that I do, you may already be wishing I'd go back to musing about jewelry and gemstones and holiday shows. Oh, the creative process! It amazes me so.