This article considers the counterpoint in jazz between the implied, underlying form and what is actually played in a given performance. My observations are framed within a model for jazz listening called “Stable Norms and Salient Deviations” (SNSD). Detailed analysis of an improvisation by jazz/R&B musician Robert Glasper demonstrates how my ideas about voicings are applicable to melodic improvisation. In addition to investigating theoretical and analytical matters, the essay explores the creative potential of my approach.