So that's why I keep playing the instrument. That's why I've tried to play the very high instruments and the very low instruments. I build instruments so that as a composer I can use that. I'm really coming from a composition mentality, but as an instrumentalist I try to get inside of it and enjoy it and learn new problems. Improvisation seems to be the door into the open space for you.
Improvisation is a magic discipline.
If they destroy that, and if nothing else is created to take the place of what that function provided, then we'll be in a very bad state. It sounds like you're worried about a narrowing in the range of allowable expression. I feel positive because the music will go someplace else. The projection we call jazz has a very important role. The trans-African continuum in America provides a very important function.