Humans are imperfect. That's one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble. We're on the quest for the perfect performance and every note has to be right. Man, every note is not right in life.
Branford MarsalisRead
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 mystery that sometimes enshrouds our profession.
Interpretation
Walter Beasley uniquely combines performance success with a deep understanding of music, helping others learn the craft.
The quote highlights the exceptional talent of Walter Beasley, who not only excels as a performing musician but also possesses an insightful grasp of the intricacies of music. This ability allows him to demystify the musical process for aspiring musicians, making it more accessible and understandable, thereby fostering their growth in the field.
In practice
In a music workshop, I shared this quote to inspire students about the importance of understanding music.
Humans are imperfect. That's one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble. We're on the quest for the perfect performance and every note has to be right. Man, every note is not right in life.
My introduction of Whitney was that if there's going to be one performer for the next generation who combined the beauty and lyric phrasing of a Lena Horne with those Gospel fiery roots of an Aretha Franklin, it would be Whitney Houston.
It's funny, when bands or younger musicians ask me: 'So, what does it take to make it?' Well, first explain to me what you mean by 'making it': Do you want to be a rock star or do you want music to be your livelihood?
When you sing, you pray twice.
Minneapolis just embraced me. There are a lot of weirdos here. It's awesome, because I'm a weirdo. Thankfully, the city embraced me with open arms. A lot about Minneapolis helped carve my musicality and open my eyes. The whole town is so open-minded compared to like, you know, Texas.
In L.A., we listen to everything. If it's banging, it's banging - we don't care where it's from.
Hail, hail rock and roll / Deliver me from the days of old.
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