--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As far as I'm concerned, the essentials…" description: "\"As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and instrumental personality.\" — Mose Allison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg" --- # As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are… ![“As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and instrumental personality.” quote by Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg) > “As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and instrumental personality.” [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jazz fundamentals include improvisation, invention, swing, and personal style, emphasizing creativity and individuality. **In simple terms:** Jazz thrives on improvisation, swing, and personal voice. Key Takeaway Cultivate originality and rhythm in musical expression. Themes music creativity individuality Mood inspirational educational Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - performance - composition - education Key Concepts improvisation swing personal style Questions to Reflect On - How can you inject personality into your art? - What does swing mean to you? A Different Perspective Technical skill alone isn’t enough without personal expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Improvisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisation/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [So that's the challenge, you have a big technical aspect of what you're doing whilst you're creatively trying to improvise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/so-that-s-the-challenge-you-have-a-big-technical-aspect-of-what-you/) [Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/) > [Improvisation, it is a mystery. You can write a book about it, but by the end no one still knows what it is. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephane-grappelli/improvisation-it-is-a-mystery-you-can-write-a-book-about-it-but-by/) Stephane Grappelli > [With the exceptional talent that is Guy Sigsworth as producer and collaborator, we have recorded a collection of original songs that sees me moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/with-the-exceptional-talent-that-is-guy-sigsworth-as-producer-and/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [It ain't about if he knocks a guy out. It's about how he knocks a guy out. It's the style, the improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-king/it-ain-t-about-if-he-knocks-a-guy-out-it-s-about-how-he-knocks-a-guy/) [Don King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-king/) > [When you're at a concert and you hear someone improvise well, that's special; it puts you in the moment and takes you someplace. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/when-you-re-at-a-concert-and-you-hear-someone-improvise-well-that-s/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [Improvisation is intuition in action, a way to discover the muse and learn to respond to her call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-nachmanovitch/improvisation-is-intuition-in-action-a-way-to-discover-the-muse-and/) [Stephen Nachmanovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-nachmanovitch/) > [Volleyball is one of the most interactive games going. It is a game of intuition, imagination, improvisation - but most of all, of reciprocity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-dunphy/volleyball-is-one-of-the-most-interactive-games-going-it-is-a-game-of/) [Marv Dunphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-dunphy/) > [Maybe it's just my improv and sketch background, but I'm a lot more comfortable in a group. I like sharing focus and populating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mantzoukas/maybe-it-s-just-my-improv-and-sketch-background-but-i-m-a-lot-more/) [Jason Mantzoukas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mantzoukas/) > [When you do improv, you're everything. You're a performer, writer, and director, because you're moving the scene in the direction you want it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-reiner/when-you-do-improv-you-re-everything-you-re-a-performer-writer-and/) [Rob Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-reiner/) > [With improvisation, I just do it. It might be a total failure but then you just throw the dice again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-marclay/with-improvisation-i-just-do-it-it-might-be-a-total-failure-but-then/) [Christian Marclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-marclay/) > [The biggest thing that comes out of improv that gets built on is just character traits. You know, for me the singing was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/the-biggest-thing-that-comes-out-of-improv-that-gets-built-on-is-just/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body's breath, and the strings' wails and moans are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/jazz-is-the-music-of-the-body-the-breath-comes-through-brass-it-is/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > ['Sicario' was a lot of improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/sicario-was-a-lot-of-improvisation/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [I love improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-dunn/i-love-improvisation/) [Nora Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-dunn/) ## More by Mose Allison > [I never bothered about keeping track.Every now and then someone records one of my songs, and I get credit for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-never-bothered-about-keeping-track-every-now-and-then-someone/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I just try to do as good job with the material as I can and play some jazz as well, some improvised music, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-try-to-do-as-good-job-with-the-material-as-i-can-and-play-some/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I'm happy whenever anybody does my material. I don't care what they do with it. I do what I want to with other people's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-m-happy-whenever-anybody-does-my-material-i-don-t-care-what-they-do/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I'm not inspired by songwriting at all; that took place years ago. I'm pretty well established, as far as my influences go. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-m-not-inspired-by-songwriting-at-all-that-took-place-years-ago-i-m/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [Ever since the world ended, I don't go out as much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/ever-since-the-world-ended-i-don-t-go-out-as-much/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [There's a lot of terrible things goin' on all the time, but you gotta try and have some fun in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/there-s-a-lot-of-terrible-things-goin-on-all-the-time-but-you-gotta/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I finally decided if I was going to make a living, I was gonna have to come to New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-finally-decided-if-i-was-going-to-make-a-living-i-was-gonna-have-to/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I started going to a piano teacher at 5 years old, but pretty soon I started picking things out on my own and stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-started-going-to-a-piano-teacher-at-5-years-old-but-pretty-soon-i/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [The idea was I'd never amount to anything in music, The theme there was that I was talented, but I wouldn't work hard enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/the-idea-was-i-d-never-amount-to-anything-in-music-the-theme-there/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I haven't stopped and I don't plan on stoppin' any time soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-haven-t-stopped-and-i-don-t-plan-on-stoppin-any-time-soon/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [You always want to write the perfect song. But no one will ever write the perfect song, I guess. I would just like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/you-always-want-to-write-the-perfect-song-but-no-one-will-ever-write/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I been getting good crowds. It only took 50 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-been-getting-good-crowds-it-only-took-50-years/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [My main influences have always been the classic jazz players who sang, like Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole and Jack Teagarden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/my-main-influences-have-always-been-the-classic-jazz-players-who-sang/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I was taking chemical engineering. But I went into the army after that. When I came out of the army, I was a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-was-taking-chemical-engineering-but-i-went-into-the-army-after-that/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I just have a lot off different influences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/i-just-have-a-lot-off-different-influences/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) [Explore all 57 Mose Allison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) ## More Concerned quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The time has come when the whole world must be concerned about me. From now on, American Christianity must follow me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-myung-moon/the-time-has-come-when-the-whole-world-must-be-concerned-about-me/) [Sun Myung Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-myung-moon/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I feel like I won the Lotto, as far as that show's concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gallagher/i-feel-like-i-won-the-lotto-as-far-as-that-show-s-concerned/) [Peter Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gallagher/) > [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/) Deke Richards > [“Is something bothering you, Sam?” Nixon asked with a deep furrow between his concerned chocolate eyes. “You mean besides the dead body lying in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-t-dyllin/is-something-bothering-you-sam-nixon-asked-with-a-deep-furrow-between/) [D.T. Dyllin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-t-dyllin/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) Browse all 3,551 Concerned quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and instrumental personality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mose Allison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-of-jazz-are-melodic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Concerned" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-of-jazz-are-melodic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/mose-allison-11837_concerned_as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-o_1861120.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As far as I'm concerned, the essentials of jazz are: melodic improvisation, melodic invention, swing, and…” — Mose Allison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Mose Allison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As far as I'm concerned, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-of-jazz-are-melodic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-the-essentials-of-jazz-are-melodic/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```