Walter Beasley is an anomaly: a successful performing musician who possesses the rare skill of understanding the musical process beyond the intuitive. This special ability enables Walter to communicate with aspiring musicians in a way that removes the sense of… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
The way to learn the language is to rip off other players. As Benny Golson told me, "We all start off sounding like other cats. And gradually, a lick here or there,we start to sound like ourselves. But it takes… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
I like to make records sound good. I'm more like a reducer than a producer. If an artist cannot produce themselves, what's the point? — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
You hear it in your brain. Whatever makes sense. Some songs work well as quartet songs, sometimes they don't. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
That's kind of like how jazz is sometimes. You're out there predicting the future, and no one believes you. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
There's a certain kind of motion and pacing that our music has, and this just doesn't have that. We just kind of rushed to… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
We played it as long as we could play it on that CD and I think it might be 50 minutes, maybe. What you… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
The piano is the X factor. People have a tough time following the structures when there's no piano there, spelling it out. It makes… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
If I were like a lot of other people, then it wouldn't be fun; but since I'm like me, it's okay. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
The biggest problem with American music right now, is that kids don't listen. They come by it honestly, Americans don't listen anyway. When people… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
What is jazz? It, It's almost like asking, What is French? Jazz is a musical language. It's a musical dialect that actually embodies the… — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
Everybody talks about finding your voice. Do your homework and your voice will find you. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
I'm not going to play funk licks on a jazz album. That makes no sense. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
Pop doesn't really look back. It can't. What makes pop work is simplicity. — Branford Marsalis Copy Share Image
