Abstract

The essay examines French philosopher Jacques Derrida’s positions on the subject “improvisation”. Firstly an analysis about Derrida discussion of Ornette Coleman thesis will be given, both on the text La langue de l’Autre then of the text Joue – le prénom, concerning mostly the relationship between composition and improvisation. Then it will be discussed the possible role of corporeity to integrate somehow Derrida’s approach on improvisation, stressing the concept of non savoir and also the undecidability and un-programmable quality of time and space, with regard to the structure of the événement typical of an improvisational frame. Finally, the essay stresses the theoretical point that we do not know if an improvisation is really possible, but we can radically re-think to its shape and limits assuming a different point of view, centred on the body.