Blue Note
One of America’s greatest cultural contributions to the art world is jazz music. Originating in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century, racially and regionally diverse groups of musicians collaborated to invent an approach to sound that would change music forever.
Improvisation is the key stylistic element of jazz that differentiates it from other genres of music.
Driven by emotion and pure artistic expression, jazz musicians break the rules of musical convention through improvisation and dramatic, syncopated rhythms.
Musical freedom, originality and playing the unexpected are what give jazz its distinctive and compelling sound. One such example is a “blue note” (also referred to as a “worried note” in jazz or blues music).
This is a “flattened” note sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. Like any exceptional artist, understanding the basics and taking them to a new level is what results in truly innovative achievements.
Contemporary painter Michael Flohr is no exception. The artist’s Blue Note depicts a snap shot moment at featuring an ensemble in the midst of collaboration. Flohr’s signature use of contrasting, layered color and furious brushstrokes lends a pulse, rhythm and pattern to the canvas like a visual jazz compilation.
Distinctive and compelling in its own right, Flohr’s abstract expressionist style seamlessly translates his jazz experience.
Every artist has a story to tell. Michael Flohr is noted for his visual narratives that beautifully defy convention and continue to strike a new chord in the art world.
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