NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Duke In Blue

Ellis Marsalis:  That whole adage of the apple not falling far from the tree, I think that there was an influence there...

NEA JAZZ MASTER ELLIS MARSALIS IS THE UNASSUMING PATRIARCH OF NEW ORLEANS' VENERABLE "FIRST FAMILY OF JAZZ" -- WITH FOUR SONS WHO FOLLOWED IN HIS FOOTSTEPS AS PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS.  HE'S BOTH A DEDICATED PIANIST AND A TIRELESS CRUSADER FOR JAZZ EDUCATION.  AND ONE THING ABOUT ELLIS, HE LEADS BY EXAMPLE -- NOT FORCE.   TRUMPETER WYNTON MARSALIS.

Wynton Marsalis:  My daddy was never like a person who would stay on top of you. 'You got to practice,' or 'You got to be great' or 'You got to...' You know, if you don't want to practice, man, I'm practicing. It's cool with me.'

SAXOPHONIST BRANFORD MARSALIS...

Branford Marsalis:  He had a philosophy...he was talkin' about one musician in particular he knew in New Orleans who, when it didn't go well for him, he would say, "Well I never wanted to play this crap anyway. My father made me," with such bitterness. He says, "Man, this music is hard enough to play when you like it." He says, "It's not gonna come from me, it has to come from you." So if you ask him a question he'll give you an answer. If you don't ask him anything, he's not sayin' anything.

DRUMMER JASON MARSALIS...

Jason Marsalis:  The one thing that he would always stress, when he would teach, was the art of discovery.  So he would try teach, not to tell you what to do, but to try to make it to where you would figure out what it is that you would have to do. 

TROMBONIST DELFEAYO MARSALIS...

Delfeayo Marsalis:  He wasn't one of those guys would stand over you and make sure that you did the work.  Like, my mom was more interested in making sure that you did your homework. My dad, he just said, 'Well, we'll see what happens,' you know? 
You reap what you sow...

... AND THAT'S THE SHO' NUFF TRUTH!  THIS JAZZ MOMENT ON PIANIST ELLIS MARSALIS WITH SONS BRANFORD, WYNTON, DELFEAYO, AND JASON WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.  I'M CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE.