Joe Lovano on the courage to find your unique musical voice

In my interview with Joe Lovano, I asked if he thought there was an element of courage to developing and playing with one’s musical voice that is different and personal.

I asked that question because it seems to me that playing like others in the manner that is generally accepted as “how your instrument should sound” is safe.

In my interview with George Schuller, who interviewed many of the attendees at the Lennox School of Jazz, he talked about the difficulty many of the musicians – some, well-known jazz artists – had with Ornette’s playing. To be an innovator like Ornette or Cecil Taylor or Stravinsky or any number of great artists requires the courage of their convictions to press forward in the midst of criticism.

So here is Joe Lovano answering my question about the element of courage required for a artist to pursue his or her own voice.