#la

I gave up my base in popular culture when I left the Tonight Show. ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#culture #gave #i #left #popular

I'm not going to play funk licks on a jazz album. That makes no sense. ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#funk #going #i #jazz #licks

If it's not going to sound like Terrapin Station, what's the point of playing Terrapin Station? ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#like #playing #point #sound #station

If you listen to a lot of the songs that are popular now, there's very little melody in there. People love the beat. But to musicians, it's melody, because we understand how elusive it is and how hard it is to hold. ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#because #elusive #hard #hold #how

It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice. ↗

— Deng Xiaoping

#black or white #cat #catches #long #matter

One of the things that's clear to me from interviews that I've read is that the more popular successful jazz musicians had audiences above and beyond the music community. ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#audiences #beyond #clear #community #had

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 Marsalis

#easily #factor #following #know #makes

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. ↗

— Branford Marsalis

#break #formula #give #give me #go

Whenever you face a man who's playing your instrument, there's a competition. ↗

— Wynton Marsalis

#face #instrument #man #playing #whenever

I believe in professionalism, but playing is not like a job. You have to be grateful to have the opportunity to play. ↗

— Wynton Marsalis

#believe #grateful #i #i believe #i believe in