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Coolin’ in with Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis, a musician without whom it would have been hard to imagine last year or even the whole past decade, explains what jazz is - and isn’t, why under no circumstances you can call Sting a jazz musician, and why Miles Davis is the most tragic figure in Western music of the 20th century, why no one today wants to study the music of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane and, last but not least, why Wynton himself is not planning to record another classical album in the near future Keep reading »
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Marsalis adds brassy clauses to ‘Shannon’s Deal’
Eight-time Grammy-winning musician Wynton Marsalis, who cut his first record at only 18, has at age 27 carved out another facet in his versatile career: scoring television movies. Keep reading »
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Trumpeter Marsails personifies jazz
TALENT, VISION and determination have made the brilliant trumpeter Wynton Marsalis a provocative figure in jazz, with a productive parallel career in classical music. Keep reading »
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Trumpet master Marsalis doubles as a jazz teacher
NEW YORK - Commerce vs. education – that’s the tug of war influencing the music young people are exposed to. Or at least that’s the view of young trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis. Keep reading »
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What Jazz Is - and Isn’t
My generation finds itself wedged between two opposing traditions. One is the tradition we know in such wonderful detail from the enormous recorded legacy that tells anyone who will listen that jazz broke the rules of European conventions and created rules of its own that were so specific, so thorough and so demanding that a great art resulted. This art has had such universal appeal and application to the expression of modern life that it has changed the conventions of American music as well as those of the world at large. Keep reading »
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Born Out of Time
JUST eighteen when he made his debut with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the trumpeter Wynton Marsalis answered the prayers of those who feared that the clock was running out for jazz, as it clearly already had for the blues. Keep reading »
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Marsalis: Playing as Much as Possible
In a powerful indication of how far he has advanced since his first cautious steps as a leader only six years ago, Wynton Marsalis will lead his quintet for two full weeks, starting tonight, at the Westwood Playhouse. There will be no other artists on the bill. Keep reading »
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The Wynton Marsalis Interview: 1987
We last interviewed Wynton Marsalis in 1984. Since that time his popularity and notoriety have, if anything, grown and, as can be seen in the following interview, he views his position with the utmost responsibility and seriousness. Keep reading »
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Marsalis Aims for Pride and Purity
When I was a child, my music teacher told me I could best learn the names of the notes on the lines of the staff by keeping in mind that Every Good Boy Does Fine. After all these years, I finally am able to visualize that paragon of exemplary musical behavior climbing up the staff. He is Wynton Marsalis, who may be the most self-disciplined jazzman in the history of that volcanic art. Keep reading »
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Wynton Marsalis: music can speak
LEONARD FEATHER: Would you classify yourself as conservative, the way Francis Davis said in his book (In the Moment)? WYNTON MARSALIS: Oh no, I’m not conservative. The reason he said that is because I wear suits. He’s thinking more in terms of image than substance. Keep reading »