SESSION shenanigans

Ray Swinfield, a wonderful saxophonist (and classy exponent of the clarinet and flute too), once turned to me in the break on a big band studio session and spoke to me thus: “Mitch, do you know what jazz improvisation really is?” And without pausing for an unwelcome reply, he continued; “It’s playing spontaneously all the things that you’ve been practising your entire life.” At which point he ripped out three choruses of All The Things You Are, returned his tenor to its case and was gone like The Cheshire Cat, leaving only