Anthony Braxton on tradition

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

Monk’s Ask Me Now under

ANTHONY BRAXTON: It's important for me to say that my work was not a rejection of anything.

Ask Me Now, up and hot…

RUFFIN: THOUGH PERCEIVED AS AN AVANT-GARDE SAXOPHONIST, ANTHONY BRAXTON’S WORK IS IMBUED WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF AND RESPECT FOR TRADITION, ESPECIALLY THE JAZZ TRADITION.

I approached my work as an affirmation of the things I've learned about. And at various time-spaces I would go back and record traditional material, because I still love the tradition.

Monk’s Ask Me Now, up and hot

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH ANTHONY BRAXTON WAS PRODUCED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

Excerpt of “Ask Me Now” composed by Thelonious Monk and performed by Anthony Braxton from the album, Six Monk Compositions, used courtesy of CAMJazz and by permission of the Thelonious Monk Corp. (BMI)