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

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...

Jazz fans love Miles and I love him for a myriad of reasons, but the...

Jazz fans love Miles and I love him for a myriad of reasons, but the...

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...

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...

It's something that jazz has gotten away from, and it's unfortunate. Players aren't physical anymore.

It's something that jazz has gotten away from, and it's unfortunate. Players aren't physical anymore.

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....

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....

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...

There's not one Tin Pan Alley song on my record.

There's not one Tin Pan Alley song on my record.

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...

Pop doesn't really look back. It can't. What makes pop work is simplicity.

Pop doesn't really look back. It can't. What makes pop work is simplicity.

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

What is jazz? It, It's almost like asking, What is French? Jazz is a musical...

What is jazz? It, It's almost like asking, What is French? Jazz is a musical...

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...

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...