More Than Just the Music: A Consideration of Embodied, Imaginal Musical Engagement in Jazz

Abstract: The overarching claim of this paper is that embodied musical knowledge and processing create meaning through musical conceptualization in terms of other human experiences. The imaginal , a term coined by Henry Corbin, refers to how humans use their imagination to support perception. Use of the imaginal is how the human conceptual system may facilitate conceptualization of music. Analyses of music are provided to this end, with support from literature on perceptual symbol systems theory, metaphor, analogy, and image schemata. The Bb Blues (in a jazz style) will be analyzed to show how imaginal conceptualizations may apply to creativity in jazz. Finally, a list of improvisation exercises inspired by such conceptualizations is presented.