Branford Marsalis on the irrelevance of popular success

NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Jack Baker

Branford Marsalis:  I chose to play this music, and I accept all the things that come with that ? good and bad and indifferent.

NEA JAZZ MASTER BRANFORD MARSALIS...

Branford Marsalis:  I don't sit there lookin' at the television wonderin' why they like this guy better than they like that, or why they like ? I know why. And most of the times when there are people who play saxophone who have this huge pop success, I don't wanna play like them, and I don't want their fan base.  So if you don't want their fan base and you don't want to play like them, then the chances of you becoming as successful as them is absolutely zero.  So given those parameters, just shut up and play. 'Cause that's what we ? I wanna learn how to play jazz. I like jazz. Sometimes I find a lot of my colleagues don't even like the music that much?they like a period. "Well, I'm really into the '60s," or "I'm into Blue Note," or "I'm into..." I'm into jazz. From 1927 to now. 

MUSIC: up for punctuation, then fades under and out

THIS JAZZ MOMENT WITH SAXOPHONIST BRANFORD MARSALIS WAS CREATED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.  I'M CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE.

Branford Marsalis on the irrelevance of popular success