Now, a Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "The Barbarians" CD: Jazz With a Twist, Collectible COL CD 6604 (cut 5)

NEA Jazz Master Slide Hampton encounters more impressive young trombonists today than ever before. But he does notice one common shortcoming...

Slide Hampton: Some of them don't have all the knowledge of the history that they should have. This is a very important thing that you need to have. And they're disconnected because of commercial music being played on the radio so much and things like that. But we always try to make them aware of the history of the music so they can understand just how good the musicians were that came when they didn't have near the advantages that we do today. Guys came and I don't know how they learned to play, but they played fantastic. And those are the guys that actually developed the foundation for us all to become musicians on. So you have to know about them.

MUSIC: same - up and fades under

...trombonist Slide Hampton on the importance of knowing your roots. This Jazz Moment was created by the National Endowment for the Arts.