One might ask “What do you mean “playing the rests”? Utilizing periods of rests or pausing during an improvised solo is something many players never think of. As I listen to great improvisers, I realize that the short periods of “nothing” can be an oasis in the desert. These mini points of contemplation give the rest of the solo meaning and contrast. Often we are bombarded during a conversation with an over excited and sometimes recreationally medicated person who seems to be able to talk without stopping for air. The more the person prattles on, the less we tend to…