Jazz 101: History of Improvisation, Part 2

Up until America’s entry into World War II, jazz improvisation was rare and performed by the very best musicians and band leaders. That’s because recording back then was done on a lathe. A vibrating diamond-tip stylus cut the sound into a wax master in real time, making re-takes expensive. [Photo above of Miles Davis by Francis Wolff ©Blue Note]

In the 1…