Branford Marsalis reflects on being a bad student

NOW, A JAZZ MOMENT...

MUSIC: Giggin

NEA JAZZ MASTER BRANFORD MARSALIS IS THE FIRST-BORN OF THE DISTINGUISHED MARSALIS FAMILY OF NEW ORLEANS.  HE'S EQUALLY AT HOME PLAYING JAZZ, BLUES, FUNK, AND CLASSICAL SAXOPHONE.  HIS TRAINING BEGAN WITH BROTHER WYNTON AT THE NEW ORLEANS CENTER FOR CREATIVE ARTS WHERE THEIR FATHER, ELLIS MARSALIS, TAUGHT JAZZ. BRANFORD RECALLS THE CHALLENGES HE POSED FOR HIS TEACHERS...

Branford Marsalis: In my junior year, they said..."We highly recommend that you leave the school and pursue an avenue other than music." And I said, "How dare you! What do you mean?" And he says, "Well you're not serious, you don't practice." "That's not for y'all, that's not a decision for y'all to make!"  I was, you know one of those again. And...I guess they were trying to get me to do one of those "I'll show them what!" It didn't really work...I still didn't practice. But... as I got older...I started?It was no way to deny what they were saying, that I wasn't serious enough. And it was clear to me. But it wasn't until I was in my 30s that I decided that I needed to try to live up to it.

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.