Music on the Brain: The Dance Before the Embrace

Join us for a special Valentine’s-themed installment of Music on the Brain, where we bring together live jazz and neuroscience to explore how brains communicate—through aggression, courtship, and cooperation. Research scientist Zach Mayer (Bendesky Lab, Zuckerman Institute) studies betta fish, whose dramatic fighting displays and unconventional mating rituals offer a powerful window into fundamental emotions like aggression and fear. Alongside saxophonist Patience Higgins, the conversation will draw striking parallels between genetic tools that “turn the dial” on behavior, the signaling dances betta fish perform when fighting and courting, and the way jazz musicians communicate, negotiate, and improvise within musical constraints. 

Harlem Jazz Tour Guide Amanda Humes hosts an evening of live music and conversation, exploring the fascinating parallels between neuroscience and jazz improvisation.