Rehearsal: the jazz band works with breath the conductor plays out their notes, invisible cord streaming from her hands inside your mouth a room, she says, make it what you want: dark with plush carpet of softened cheeks bright and tight with crisp tall walls choose an acoustical shape: cathedral arches smoky den check in with your lips get the breath going: FULL aim a sound toward the teeth open up that hard palate tongue touching the tip roll the pitches again reinitiate when you need stagger-breathe and make eye contact hold the "look" share the breath feel it out add a lift dig it back off rest add a shake make it swell put the weight on the L get off it swing it give it some life bend that note give it a scoop hit the tough cut offs mind the ties and don't jump the gun; you can't be sassy if you're rushing she may choose to swing and do_it or to keep strict time and do | it, but some things just won't change: that thin brief hollow sound of "you", that long-held golden orb of "moon" |