Intuition (free improvisation)

"Intuition" is the title of a free improvisation by the Lennie Tristano quintet. It was recorded on May 16, 1949, and is credited as being one of the first two freely improvised jazz recordings, along with "Digression" (made at the same session).

Pianist Lennie Tristano recalled that, "When I was seven we got a phonograph. I would listen to the old jazz records and then just sit at the piano and play anything – no particular tune."

The quintet that recorded "Intuition" was formed of leader Tristano, tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, guitarist Billy Bauer, and bassist Arnold Fishkin. Most of the members of this band had played free improvisations together previously. May 16, 1949 was their third day as a band recording for Capitol Records, and Tristano decided to record some freely improvised playing.

The sequence in which the musicians would join in the ensemble playing, and the approximate timing of those entrances, were planned, but nothing else – harmony, key, time signature, tempo, melody or rhythm – was prepared or set. Instead, the five musicians were held together by "contrapuntal interaction".

Structure exists in the performance because of "the close interaction between musicians, as they enter in imitation of a figure previously stated by another member." Tristano opens the recording himself, then, at intervals of around 20 seconds, each of the other four musicians joins in. The pianist plays in an implied 4
4 meter, but adds phrases that provide others. Konitz's entrance reinforces a tonal center of C. Bauer initially responds to a scalar section, and then interacts closely with Tristano. Marsh also starts, at 1:09, by extending an earlier motif, them moves into 5
4 as the others, except for Fishkin, refrain from playing. The five members then interact together in counterpoint, before Tristano, at 1:44, plays some fast runs, which leads to further ensemble playing until Tristano repeats an A♭, signaling the close of the performance.

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Wikipedia