RUFFIN: NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT WITH 2014 NEA JAZZ MASTER ANTHONY BRAXTON

ANTHONY BRAXTON: I listened to Charlie Parker as a young guy. Six, seven or eight. And my Uncle Willie said, "No, this is a guy you have to listen to." So I put it on. And it was too difficult. It was like, "What is this? What is this guy doing?"

Parker up and hot

I couldn't hear Charlie Parker. I could only hear him after listening to Paul Desmond and Warren Marsh and Jackie McLean and John Coltrane and then I went back. I started revisiting Charlie Parker in the Army. Just as if you're in France, all signs are leading to Paris. And it's kind of the same in music. You know, you start playing improvised music.

All roads would lead to the great work of Charlie Parker.

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH ALTO SAXOPHONIST ANTHONY BRAXTON WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ART

Excerpt of "Wee" composed by Denzil Best and performed by The Quintet, from the album, Live at Massey Hall, used courtesy of Concord Music Group, Inc and used by permission of Music Sales Corporation (BMI).