NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Da Homey Dance

Jason Marsalis: Being the youngest brother, you usually get overruled.  Even if I disagree, the attitude is, "Ah hem... you're the youngest, be quiet." [laughs].

DRUMMER JASON MARSALIS IS 16 YEARS YOUNGER THAN HIS OLDEST BROTHER, BRANFORD; 15 YEARS YOUNGER THAN WYNTON.  THE SIXTH SON IN NEW ORLEANS' DISTINGUISHED MUSICAL FAMILY ? NOW RECOGNIZED AS NEA JAZZ MASTERS -- JASON MARSALIS HAS BEEN STEEPED IN MUSIC FROM THE MOMENT HE WAS BORN...

Jason Marsalis:  I mean there's so many different occurrences of things where I've learned about music, just in a little moment.  For example:  When I was a little kid I was watching Looney Tunes cartoons, and Wynton was actually with me and we were watching and all of a sudden, Wynton says, "I know one thing, this music sure is hard to write."  And when he said that I said, "Yeah! [laughs] That's true."  I may have been seven years old, or eight years old when he said it, but after he said that, I started to pay attention to the music in cartoons, film, TV.  After that one little moment.  And so to me that was some important information to get.  Huh, but it is true when you have people that are always not only working on their craft but they are thinking about their craft and how to make it better.  I have no choice but to think the same way.

MUSIC: up for punctuation, then fades under and out

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