Wynton On Hearing the WORST Band EVER

What a great story. It put such a big smile on my face. As a music educator of more than 35 years, I have lived this story many times. We start students with hope and encouragement and eventually skill and musicianship start to take over. We have faith that those first sounds we hear will not be the last. I have have been blessed to have had a part in teaching many of young players who have grown up to be fantastic musicians, teachers and lovers of music. As a little kid, just starting out, one night my folks set me up in a folding chair in front of a local country band and encouraged me to play along. I am sure band was playing and singing in E and I had never heard of C# major, so I must not have hit one right note on my little Conn alto saxophone. That didn’t matter however. What mattered was the encouragement I received that night. That encouragement, (and many other similar acts of kindness) fired my passion for music that has lasted over 55 years. Two music degrees, a successful teaching career and hundreds of memorable, (and not so memorable) gigs later, I owe it all to the many “Danny Barkers” in my life that heard the music in me that I had not yet played… (thanks to my parents, grand parents, and Melba, Robert, Charles, Tommy, Dale, Clifford, Margo, Terry, Roland, Kent, Michale and Don. These were the teachers who shared their encouragement and love of music with me…my “Mr. Barkers”). Terry from Texas

I remember an interview w/Wynton in the early 1990's, a jazz journalist tried to put him on the spot: "What do you think of groups who claim to play jazz, but are merely playing the same canned riffs with mass popular appeal over & over, like Spyro Gyra or the Jazz Crusaders?" Mr. Marsalis replied, most diplomatically: "Well, I'm sure they are really Cool Cats, & have really nice wives & kids, for whom they are striving to make the best living they can for them".

The thing each and every kid needs most of all is encouragement.

One of the most memorable days of my life is when my high school jazz band played at an autograph session for Wynton. I was the goofy bass trombone player. Wynton joined us for a song. He borrowed a trumpet from one of our band members. Afterwards, we had a pickup basketball game with his band before they played at the local club. On a particularly tough play, our saxophonist knocked over their trombone player. During the concert that night, the trombone player gave an exaggerated limp that made us crack up.

What a great tribute. We all need to strive to be as encouraging as Danny Barker.

I was at a Guitar Center grand opening several years ago in North Myrtle Beach SC. Lots of musicians there with their kids, and the kids were all strumming, banging, hitting anything that made noise. It was chaotic, loud and anything but melodic. I looked around as I listened to this racket and smiled. I said to myself "This is where it all begins. I'm witnessing the infantile stages of a blessing. We are blessed to be given the gift of music. It's magical, It can relax you, give you energy when you have none, unlock memories from your past, make you cry when you forgot how to, it's in our soul ready to be unlocked, just like an infant that can barely stand, they hear music and the hands wave and those chubby little legs bend and they just start bouncing, smiling from ear to ear.

Wynton is a National Treasure. Let's treasure him now, not later.

I think Wynton missed his own point. It wasn't that the old man heard the greatness in the kids -- it's that giving them the confidence that they were worthy made them live up to it.

That’s right, Wynton. That’s all it takes. A musician is one who listens, then plays. It is simpler than most think, but so many really do understand. Singing in one’s mind, dancing, is all it takes to spark a musical expression. Then, it’s according to the man or woman, what tool they’re holding, and how they use it. That’s about it.

I played at a gathering for Danny Barkers funeral with Kermit Ruffins. I didn’t know a lot about traditional jazz and tried to bow out but Kermit insisted “Aw man, get your bass you’ll be fine!”. I took it as a sign that indeed I would be fine. And I was. And I learned a lot that day, and all the subsequent days for eight years living in New Orleans. There’s a tradition of teaching and community that is extremely rare and I was lucky enough to experience some of that.

As an artist, this is so similar to the way you train people to do art....because you have to start somewhere. This was amazing. :)

What a beautiful story with a point! Bad mouthing and criticizing someone because he/she is not perfect only destroys their motivation, and desire to be the best they can be, some day. Yet so many people are so ignorant and backwards thinking, they don't understand the power of positive reinforcement, and the power of words. This story is a powerful representation of just how strong that positive reinforcement can bee... all those kids - today, the best in their respective instruments. LOVE THIS!!!

It's always a pleasure to teach people who want to learn.

Man this is beautiful. If only we would spend time encouraging instead of kicking. Imagine what this world would be if we had that man encouraging the good out of everyone....

I was privileged to experience THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND live in person..in the spring of 1971..in the small chapel..at Austin College in Sherman Texas...It was life changing because I played all the brass except slide trombone and tuba...i was stupifiied at their skill and the whole planet has been uplifted and blessed by Wyntons teaching!!!

Listening to Wynton Marsalis talk about music, is as enjoyable as listening to him play Music! A remarkable gift indeed!.......

I worked with Danny Barker at the Palm Court Jazz Cafe in the mid-1990s. He liked my playing because I dug the trumpeter from Algiers, Henry "Red" Allen, who Mr. Barker had worked with. He was great fun to work with and had wonderful stories to tell. Kudos to him for encouraging the younger musicians. btw - in that short clip towards the end of the video (at 5:14) that's me on cornet sitting next to him and clarinetist Pud Brown on the bandstand at the Palm Court.

Sometimes the truth is so undeniable that it brings a tear to your eye.

A great story about a great man, a great city and the beauty of music...Bravo!

That was one of the most beautiful music/mentor stories I’ve ever heard. And I needed to hear it today...