The piano is the X factor. People have a tough time following the structures when there’s no piano there, spelling it out. It makes it more easily understood, particularly to people who don’t know as much about music.
BRANFORD MARSALIShis special ability enables Walter to communicate with aspiring musicians in a way that removes the sense of mystery that sometimes enshrouds our profession.
More Branford Marsalis Quotes
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If I were like a lot of other people, then it wouldn’t be fun; but since I’m like me, it’s okay.
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I like to make records sound good. I’m more like a reducer than a producer. If an artist cannot produce themselves, what’s the point?
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What is jazz? It, It’s almost like asking, What is French? Jazz is a musical language. It’s a musical dialect that actually embodies the spirit of America.
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The whole point is, give me a break with the standards. You go to the average jazz label and suggest a record and they want to know which standards you’re going to play. I’m saying let’s break the formula.
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Everybody talks about finding your voice. Do your homework and your voice will find you.
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The biggest problem with American music right now, is that kids don’t listen. They come by it honestly, Americans don’t listen anyway.
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What you have to do is play a couple of songs and then get off the stage because everything that trails it sounds stupid.
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The way to learn the language is to rip off other players. As Benny Golson told me, “We all start off sounding like other cats.
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Humans are imperfect. That’s one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble. We’re on the quest for the perfect performance and every note has to be right. Man, every note is not right in life.
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Coltrane came to New Orleans one day and he was talking about the jazz scene. And Coltrane mentions that the problem with jazz was that there were too few groups.
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Pop doesn’t really look back. It can’t. What makes pop work is simplicity.
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You know, being America, being the land of “number ones”, everyone wants to be a leader before they follow.
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You hear it in your brain. Whatever makes sense. Some songs work well as quartet songs, sometimes they don’t.
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So much of Jazz doesn’t have an audience other than music students or musicians.
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If it’s not going to sound like Terrapin Station, what’s the point of playing Terrapin Station?
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