Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.
Have a Question? No Registration Required
https://app.sli.do/event/d8bZhiGa3wxrwF62UpBhEr
A lecture by Milton Mermikides
Jazz is often considered “free” and “spontaneous”, and yet it takes a lifetime of dedication to achieve such freedom. What is really happening when musicians improvise? Is it pure invention, or a highly structured language learned over time?
This lecture explores jazz as both a musical style and a way of thinking, revealing the hidden frameworks behind improvisation. Through examples and insights, we uncover how musicians create coherence, surprise, and meaning in real time, and why improvisation remains one of music’s most compelling skills and mysteries.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/what-jazz
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
Website: gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/greshamcollege
Facebook: facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
This is a live-stream of the lecture. An edited version of the lecture will be uploaded in due course.
Have a Question? No Registration Required
https://app.sli.do/event/d8bZhiGa3wxrwF62UpBhEr
A lecture by Milton Mermikides
Jazz is often considered “free” and “spontaneous”, and yet it takes a lifetime of dedication to achieve such freedom. What is really happening when musicians improvise? Is it pure invention, or a highly structured language learned over time?
This lecture explores jazz as both a musical style and a way of thinking, revealing the hidden frameworks behind improvisation. Through examples and insights, we uncover how musicians create coherence, surprise, and meaning in real time, and why improvisation remains one of music’s most compelling skills and mysteries.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website:
gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/what-jazz
Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham's mission, please consider making a donation: gresham.ac.uk/support
Website: gresham.ac.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/greshamcollege
Facebook: facebook.com/greshamcollege
Instagram: instagram.com/greshamcollege
