The lion's share of what I hear right now are people who, intentional or accidental, have avoided all jazz prior to 1960. And all the musicians who were successful in the '60s spent their entire lives, prior to 1960, listening…

Quote by Branford Marsalis

Topics: Branford Marsalis Quotes

The piano is the X factor. People have a tough time following the structures when...

The piano is the X factor. People have a tough time following the structures when...

The biggest problem with American music right now, is that kids don't listen. They come...

The biggest problem with American music right now, is that kids don't listen. They come...

I suspect that we might actually start selling some records with these artists in about...

I suspect that we might actually start selling some records with these artists in about...

I think that one of the problems that jazz has is that it's so incestuous...

I think that one of the problems that jazz has is that it's so incestuous...

Humans are imperfect. That's one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble....

Humans are imperfect. That's one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble....

One of the things that I loved about listening to Miles Davis is that Miles...

One of the things that I loved about listening to Miles Davis is that Miles...

One of the things that's clear to me from interviews that I've read is that...

One of the things that's clear to me from interviews that I've read is that...

My dad was a musician, it was just what he did, like another guy's dad...

My dad was a musician, it was just what he did, like another guy's dad...

I'm not going to play funk licks on a jazz album. That makes no sense.

I'm not going to play funk licks on a jazz album. That makes no sense.

It's hard to get into Newsweek because, as more of our former intellectual magazines take...

It's hard to get into Newsweek because, as more of our former intellectual magazines take...

A lot of musicians have a tough time hearing what we're doing in a trio...

A lot of musicians have a tough time hearing what we're doing in a trio...

We played it as long as we could play it on that CD and I...

We played it as long as we could play it on that CD and I...

If you listen to a lot of the songs that are popular now, there's very...

If you listen to a lot of the songs that are popular now, there's very...

You hear it in your brain. Whatever makes sense. Some songs work well as quartet...

You hear it in your brain. Whatever makes sense. Some songs work well as quartet...

Coltrane came to New Orleans one day and he was talking about the jazz scene....

Coltrane came to New Orleans one day and he was talking about the jazz scene....

When you're dealing with music without words, titles are more a means of identification than...

When you're dealing with music without words, titles are more a means of identification than...

The whole point is, give me a break with the standards. You go to the...

The whole point is, give me a break with the standards. You go to the...

I think that if you keep banging at the door all you need is a...

I think that if you keep banging at the door all you need is a...

If you're going to use standards as criteria for signing musicians, you can sign thousands....

If you're going to use standards as criteria for signing musicians, you can sign thousands....

If I were like a lot of other people, then it wouldn't be fun; but...

If I were like a lot of other people, then it wouldn't be fun; but...