Jazz Magic
At any given time in a magic performance, a magician may find themselves needing to "change tack" and improvise midstream in their routine. "Jazz Magic" is a term I coined for this specific moment. Why? Jazz Magic refers to acts of improvisation when an interruption derails you from your routine, and it would be extremely awkward if you plowed ahead without appropriately reacting to the reality of the moment. You're off-script, and it feels like your ad-libbing, but you aren't. This is an alternate route, and you're using "creative memory," that is, to achieve a successful conclusion that satisfies and delights.
Remember, you know how any given magic trick is supposed to conclude, but your audience does not, so you can make changes if needed without letting the audience in on the detour. You’re not “making it up” but rather intentionally going with an alternate ending that better fits the moment more appropriately. The audience only knows what you let them in on.
The reason for quick changes in performance may be due to an interruption, mistake, or unusual interaction with the audience that requires a change in procedure. I have found that this can happen in many different ways during a live performance, especially for close-up magic. This happens to everyone, and it's very magical to an audience when moments like this happen because it seems even more impossible what they just saw.
I highly recommend every magician has strategies that fit their natural abilities to make sure these kinds of change-ups are as easy as they can be. Lean into your sense of humor, wit, or unique perspective when you switch gears for a new ending.
Most importantly, the magician must know their material thoroughly enough that even a pause in the action does not cause you to "lose your place" along the way in the trick. The more knowledge that one possesses, the better off you are when you find yourself in a difficult situation. For example, the magician places a prop on the table during a routine, and a spectator grabs it when they shouldn't have done so. Think quickly! You must improvise now.
A magic booklet called "Outs, Precautions, and Challenges" written 40+ years ago addresses the many possibilities of what can happen with the spectator during a show. I recommend it as a must-read for any magician. Performers must arm themselves with various approaches to take when something "goes wrong" from your point of view.
Jazz Magic is my way of saying one must learn how to improvise during a magic performance. Performance is very different from rehearsal, and you want to be ready to go with the flow without hesitation. Performance management is an actual reality, and for me, it has been useful to prepare myself with strategies that allow the show to go on, no matter what surprises or snafus take place. The presentation of the “pretended miracle,” requires strategy with artful delivery.