In To a Young Jazz Musician, the renowned jazz musician and Pulitzer
Prize--winning composer Wynton Marsalis gives us an invaluable guide to
making good music-and to leading a good life.
Writing from the road "between the bus ride, the sound check, and the
gig,"
Marsalis passes on wisdom gained from experience, addressed to a young
musician coming up-and to any of us at any stage of life. He writes that
having humility is a way to continue to grow, to listen, and to learn;
that patience is necessary for developing both technical proficiency and
your own art rather than an imitation of someone else's; and that rules
are indispensable because "freedom lives in structure."
He offers lessons learned from his years as a performer and from his
great forebears Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and others; he explores
the art of swing; he discusses why it is important to run toward your
issues, not away; and he talks about what to do when your integrity runs
up against the lack thereof in others and in our culture. He poetically
expresses our need for healers: "All of it tracks back to how you heal
your culture, one patient at a time, beginning with yourself."
This is a unique book, in which a great artist offers his personal
thoughts, both on jazz and on how to live a better, more original,
productive, and meaningful life. To a Young Jazz Musician is sure to be
treasured by readers young and old, musicians, lovers of music, and
anyone interested in being mentored by one of America's most
influential, generous, and talented artists.
