>> Announcer: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF THE BIG TEN NETWORK, PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
>> THERE'S A PLACE WHERE IT'S ALWAYS SWINGIN', A PLACE WHERE THE MUSIC TAKES OVER, TAKES POSSESSION, OF YOU.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN, A PLACE YOU CAN LEARN, A PLACE WHERE, SOMETIMES, THE SNOW HELPS KEEP THE RHYTHM.
AT MICHIGAN STATE, IT CAN BE YOUR PLACE, IF YOU'RE READY, FOR A STUDY IN JAZZ.
SO YOU THINK, "JAZZ? IN EAST LANSING?" >> I KNOW -- EAST LANSING JAZZ.
REALLY, ACTUALLY, UP UNTIL A YEAR AGO, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE PROGRAM REALLY EXISTED.
>> WELL, THAT'S HOW IT IS.
SOMETIMES IT HAS TO START IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
LIKE BEFORE, IT STARTED IN AREAS WHERE MAYBE PEOPLE COULDN'T GO TO, BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S INSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE'RE HOPING THIS TIME, PEOPLE LEARN IT AT AN EARLY AGE AND THEY FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES THE MUSIC GREAT.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST GRAB AN INSTRUMENT AND JUST TRY TO GET ONE NOTE AND TRY TO MAKE THAT ONE NOTE SWING.
SOMETIMES I HAVE TO START WITH MY STUDENTS, I SAY, "OKAY, LET'S JUST PLAY ONE NOTE.
LET'S SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN PLAY IT.”
[ NOTE PLAYS TWICE ] SO, OKAY, THAT'S ONE WAY.
LET'S TRY TO MAKE IT SWING.
[ NOTE REPEATS ] SO IT STARTS WITH THAT ONE NOTE.
I SAID, "LOUIS ARMSTRONG, WHEN HE PLAYED THE ONE NOTE, HE WOULD BLOW DOWN WALLS.
WHEN PEOPLE HEARD IT, THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T IMAGINE HEARING THAT TYPE OF SOUND COME OUT OF A TRUMPET.
UNBELIEVABLE.
>> WESS ANDERSON CAN BLOW DOWN WALLS.
HE AND THE PROFESSORS OF JAZZ BLEW AWAY A YOUNG MAN FROM WYOMING WHO WAS LOOKING FOR HIS PATH TO THE FUTURE AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
>> IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK I WAS HERE.
I WENT TO THE WHARTON CENTER.
I SAW THAT THE PROFESSORS OF JAZZ WERE PLAYING.
YOU KNOW, I PLAYED THE DRUMS.
I KNEW I LIKED TO PLAY THE DRUMS, BUT I DIDN'T PLAY JAZZ MUSIC.
AND BEING FROM WYOMING, I JUST WASN'T EXPOSED TO IT AT ALL.
BUT I HEARD THE PROFESSORS PLAY.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME I HEARD RANDY PLAY, AND IT WAS...
TRUTHFULLY, OBVIOUSLY, LIFE-CHANGING.
>> THE PROFESSORS ARE A GROUP OF VETERAN JAZZ MUSICIANS WHO TEACH HERE AT MSU.
THE JAZZ STUDIES PROGRAM BRINGS IN THE TALENT FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
>> I HAVE KIDS FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, AS FAR AWAY AS CALIFORNIA, AND SOME FROM THE BOSTON AREA.
AND I MET ALL OF THESE KIDS AT WORKSHOPS, SUMMER SEMINARS, WHILE I'M PLAYING IN A JAZZ CLUB.
AND EVEN THE KIDS FROM SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM FROM DETROIT, ANN ARBOR, I MET THEM THROUGH THE DETROIT CIVIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA, WHICH I'M MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR.
AND SO THAT ACTIVE PROFESSIONAL LIFE YOU HAVE WILL HELP YOU TO RECRUIT STUDENTS.
BUT IT ALSO KEEPS YOU AT A CERTAIN LEVEL IN TERMS OF YOUR MUSICIANSHIP.
>> AND WE HAVE WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS WHO COULD BE OUT WORKING EVERY NIGHT, BUT HAVE CHOSEN TO COME HERE AND SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEIR EXPERTISE, AND THEIR TALENTS WITH STUDENTS.
AND ACTUALLY, THEY'RE FUNCTIONING AS THE PROFESSORS OF JAZZ, SO THEY'RE OUT ON THE ROAD, BUT THEIR COMMITMENT IS TO THE STUDENTS, SO IT'S A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS THAT HAVE GREAT CONNECTIONS, BUT HAVE CHOSEN TO MAKE A MAJOR MARK BY PASSING THE TRADITION TO A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
>> WESS ANDERSON WAS WITH THE LEGENDARY WYNTON MARSALIS FOR YEARS.
TEACHING IS JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF WHO HE IS.
>> IF YOU'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO DO THE WHOLE THING.
SO YOU HAVE TO TEACH IT, YOU HAVE TO LEARN IT, YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN IT, YOU HAVE TO OBSERVE IT -- ALL OF THAT.
>> AND I WAS FAMILIAR WITH HIS WORK WITH WYNTON MARSALIS, BUT I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS TEACHING THERE -- HERE -- AT MICHIGAN STATE.
AND I HEARD HIM PLAY, TOOK A LESSON WITH HIM, AND ASKED HIM A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM, AND IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE A PROGRAM I'D BE INTERESTED IN COMING TO SEE AND CHECKING OUT.
>> THE ROOTS OF JAZZ ARE DEEP IN AMERICA.
SOME SAY IT'S TIRED OUT, OLD.
NOT HERE.
HERE, KEEPING THE JAZZ IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] >> PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC NOW IN 2008 SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER PLANET, YOU KNOW? IT'S VERY RARE THAT YOU SEE MUSICIANS -- IF YOU SEE THEM PLAYING, IT'S IN A BIG CONCERT MAYBE IN NEW YORK CITY OR IN EUROPE OR IN ASIA, SO TO BE TEACHING AT A GREAT UNIVERSITY HERE AT MICHIGAN STATE IS -- IT'S LIKE -- IT'S UNPARALLELED.
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] >> IT'S TIMELESS, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, WHEN I LISTEN TO CHARLIE PARKER OR LESTER YOUNG, IT'S AS MODERN AS ANYTHING THAT I'M HEARING NOW TODAY, AND IT'S JUST THEIR ABILITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.
IT'S SO INCREDIBLE THAT IT'S TIMELESS.
>> A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU, "WELL, THAT'S SOMETHING OLD.”
I SAY, "WELL, YEAH, BUT SCRAMBLED EGG IS OLD.
THAT DON'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT GONNA EAT IT ANYMORE 'CAUSE IT'S OLD.”
>> WE'VE BECOME A NATIONAL CENTER FOR JAZZ, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDWEST.
AND PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, I MEAN, EVERYBODY CALLED.
THEY WANT TO COME HERE BECAUSE THEY HEARD THAT THE KIDS CAN SWING HERE, AND THEY CAN PLAY.
AND THEY WANT TO COME HERE AND DO RESIDENCIES.
AND I THINK HAVING WYNTON HERE -- YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WYNTON TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT EDUCATION AND PEDAGOGY AND JUST HOW TO PRESENT AND HOW TO TALK TO FOLKS.
I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM THAT I THINK HAVING HIM IS KIND OF LIKE THE ICING ON THE CAKE.
AND IT'S REALLY -- IT REALLY SHOWS THE HARD WORK THAT'S -- SHOWCASES THE HARD WORK THAT'S COME TOGETHER HERE.
IN FACT, IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE COLLABORATIONS WHICH EXIST THROUGHOUT THE COLLEGE OF MUSIC.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> WYNTON MARSALIS DROPS IN FOR MASTER CLASSES AND PERFORMANCES.
HE GOES WAY BACK WITH ALL THE PROFESSORS, AND HE SPEAKS ACROSS THE GENERATIONS.
>> DID YOU ALL KNOW THAT WAS THE BLUES? ALL RIGHT.
NOW, YOU KNOW THE BLUES -- WE'VE BEEN PLAYING THE BLUES IN AMERICA FOR A LONG TIME...
OVER 100 YEARS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS THE BLUES.
ROCK 'N' ROLL, JAZZ, RHYTHM AND BLUES, COUNTRY AND WESTERN -- THAT'S ALL BLUES.
1, 2, A-1, 2, 3, 4.
>> THE MUSIC BUILDING IS LOUD.
YOU HEAR THE LEARNING HERE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING MATH.
YOU DON'T HEAR ALGORITHMS.
>> THE MUSIC BUILDING IS DIFFERENT 'CAUSE YOU CAN ALWAYS HEAR.
WHEN YOU COME IN THE MORNING, YOU CAN ALWAYS HEAR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MUSIC GOING ON.
LIKE, I CAME IN THIS MORNING, I HEARD SOMEBODY SINGING A GREAT ARIA.
BUT RIGHT NEXT TO THEM, I HEARD THE SAXOPHONE PLAYER WORKING ON A JOHN COLTRANE SONG.
SO TO HEAR THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER WAS SO CRAZY.
BUT IT SOUNDED GREAT.
I SAID, "WELL, YOU CAN'T HEAR THIS NOWHERE.”
>> ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IS FROM THE LEADERSHIP OF LOU ANNA SIMON, WHO HAS SOUGHT TO CREATE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS BETTER BECAUSE OF THE RICHNESS OF ITS DIVERSITY THAT HAS COME TO PASS IN OUR COLLEGE THROUGH EMBRACING THE STUDY OF JAZZ.
AND WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS CLASSICALLY BASED FACULTY, THERE WAS A UNANIMOUS SUPPORT TO DO THAT, AND OUR COLLEGE IN JAZZ WORK AS HARD OR HARDER THAN OTHERS.
YOU CAN FIND THEM UP MENTORING, WORKING WITH STUDENTS, DOING OUTREACH, DRIVING TO DETROIT, GOING ACROSS THE STATE, GOING OUT AND DOING THEIR OWN GIGS, COMING BACK, TEACHING CLASSES.
THEY'VE REALLY BECOME INTEGRAL TO WHAT WE DO, AND WE ALL LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.
>> Announcer: THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AMERICA'S PREMIER LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION -- 150 YEARS OF ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMING LIVES.
>> ♫ AND I WAS GREEN, GREENER THAN THE HILL ♫ ♫ WHERE THE FLOWERS GREW AND SUN SHONE STILL ♫ ♫ NOW I'M DARKER THAN THE DEEPEST SEA ♫ ♫ JUST HAND ME DOWN, GIVE ME A PLACE TO BE ♫ >> THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGE THAT YOU HAVE TEACHING ART IS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GIVE YOURSELF TO THE STUDENTS IN TERMS OF YOUR TIME.
AND IF YOU'RE TRYING TO CLOCK TIME, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM IN THE ARTS.
IF I LOOKED AT, "WELL, MY APPOINTMENT SAID I ONLY WORK 20 HOURS A WEEK, AND THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA WORK," WE HAVE JAM SESSIONS EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE GREEN RIVER, AT THE RENDEZVOUS CLUB IN LANSING.
AND THE FACULTY'S THERE JAMMING WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND IF YOU DON'T DO THAT -- YOU HAVE TO PLAY.
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] >> NO.
WELL, I C-- [ CHUCKLES ] A LITTLE BIT, SOMETIMES.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GRADES AND THERE'S EXAMS AND THERE'S QUIZZES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S -- I THINK ALL OF US TAKE THIS MUSIC SERIOUSLY.
AND FOR US, IT'S A CAREER, BUT ALSO IT'S OUR LIFE.
SO REALLY, WE'RE JUST KIND OF HANGING OUT AND LEARNING WHAT WE ENJOY DOING.
SO VERY LITTLE OF IT FEELS LIKE SCHOOL.
>> I HAVE A...THAT IN THIS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST THEIR PROFESSORS, WE'RE THEIR MENTORS.
AND WE'RE GONNA FOREVER BE THEIR MENTORS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK THEM IN THE EYE AND BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE.
IF A KID COMES TO ME AND SAY, "WHY DIDN'T I GET INTO JAZZ ORCHESTRA II OR JAZZ ORCHESTRA I?" "YOU PLAY OUT OF TUNE.
YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS AND YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS, AND WHEN YOU DO THOSE THINGS, YOU'LL GET A HIGHER PLACEMENT.”
AND WE BELIEVE IN JUST BEING TOTALLY HONEST WITH THE STUDENTS.
AND FROM THAT -- BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MY MENTORS WERE WITH ME.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU GET THE RESULT.
THEY MAY NOT SPEAK TO YOU FOR TWO WEEKS, BUT ULTIMATELY, WHEN THEY CAN HEAR WHAT YOU SAID AND WANT TO GET BETTER, THEY HAVE TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES TO GET BETTER.
>> OH, EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, I STOP...
YOU KNOW, AND I REFLECT AND THINK ABOUT HOW IT'S LIKE, "MAN, I'M HERE.
WHAT AM I DOING HERE?" >> YEAH, THEY'RE OUT IN THE OPEN.
THEY'RE SHOWING US EVERYTHING THAT THEY KNOW, THEY'RE SHARING ALL THE INFORMATION, AND THEY'RE PLAYING MUSIC WITH US.
>> IT'S A GOOD FEELING WHEN YOU GET TO BE AROUND THOSE TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS -- GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE YOU LOOK UP TO AND BE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND THEY TALK TO YOU AND TELL YOU THIS AND THAT AND THE OTHER.
>> THEY HAVE SO MUCH INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE TO SHARE.
AND IT'S ALL OPEN FOR THE STUDENTS.
>> IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD WHEN I SEE A STUDENT, AND HE GETS BETTER AND GETS BETTER, AND HE CAN PLAY.
THEY ASKED ME ONE TIME -- SOME OF THE STUDENTS ASKED, "WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE THIS OR THAT? WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE?" I SAID, "ANYBODY THAT CAN PLAY, THAT'S MY FAVORITE.”
[ LAUGHS ] >> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THE ROOT WORK FOR IMPROVISATION, AND IT'S CALLED "IMPROVE.”
SO WE'RE IMPROVING ON THE MELODY.
SO YOU TAKE THE MELODY, AND WE IMPROVE ON IT.
IT CAN BE SLIGHTLY OR IT CAN BE VERY GRAND.
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] >> I FEEL THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT PLAYING THE DRUMS IS HOW YOU PLAY WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
I'M IMPRESSED WITH SOLOS AND STUFF, BUT I'M NOT AS MUCH IMPRESSED WITH SOLOS AS I AM WITH HOW A PERSON PLAYS WITH THE REST OF THE PEOPLE.
YOU CAN'T SOLO ALL THE TIME.
>> IF YOU NOTICE, THE PROFESSORS WERE SITTING BY THE STAGE, AND THEN THE STUDENTS, AS SOON AS THEY'RE DONE PLAYING, THEY GRAVITATE TOWARDS THE PROFESSORS.
AND SO WE ALL WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE PROFESSORS ARE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE THINKING AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
AND ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PROFESSORS ARE PLAYING, YOU CAN SEE THE STUDENTS -- ESPECIALLY ME -- WHEN PROFESSOR GELISPIE GETS ON THE DRUM SET, I'M JUST KIND OF GRAVITATING, TRYING TO OBSERVE WHAT HE'S DOING.
SO, IT'S THAT WHOLE SAME THING -- THEY'RE PLAYING WITH US, AND WE'RE HEARING THEM, AND IT'S KIND OF JUST A REALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION.
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] >> OF COURSE, SOMETIMES YOU STILL GOT TO SHOUT.
>> SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU'RE PLAYING THE DRUM -- BAM! [ LAUGHS ] SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU CAN BE RUDELY POLITE, IF YOU WILL.
[ LAUGHS ] >> Announcer: FOR 50 YEARS, 12 WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD.
TOGETHER WE OFFER MORE THAN 1,000 STUDY-ABROAD PROGRAMS, OVER 75 MILLION LIBRARY VOLUMES, AND MORE THAN $6 BILLION IN SPONSORED RESEARCH.
TOGETHER WE ARE AT THE HEART OF AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION.
TOGETHER WE ARE THE COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION.
>> HE SWINGS SO HARD AND HE'S LISTENING SO MUCH THAT HE'S ABLE TO INSTANTLY REACT TO WHAT YOU DO, AND HE'S GOT SO MUCH OF THE VOCABULARY OF THE MUSIC, TOO, THAT HE CAN PLAY THINGS THAT MAKE YOU REACT, AND IT MAKES EVERYONE LISTEN -- LISTEN TO EACH OTHER.
AND THE MUSIC SORT OF MOVES ALONG AT A -- I THINK YOU GET TO A DEEPER LEVEL OF THE MUSIC AND MORE INTENSE LEVEL OF THE MUSIC PRETTY QUICKLY WITH THAT SORT OF COMMUNICATION.
>> I OFTEN TELL MY STUDENTS, "PLAY LIKE YOU TALK.
HOW DO YOU TALK? HOW DO YOU HOLD A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE? PLAY LIKE YOU TALK.
PLAY LIKE YOU'RE HOLDING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE -- YOU LISTEN THERE, THEN YOU'LL LAUGH.
THEN SOMETIMES YOU'LL ASK A SERIOUS QUESTION.
YOU'LL WANT TO KNOW AN ANSWER.
PLAY LIKE THAT.”
AND IT'S A CONVERSATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS USED TO SAY, AND I SAID THIS -- "IT'S NOT WHAT YOU PLAY, IT'S WHAT YOU SAY.”
>> IT'S WONDERFUL, SO IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE.
IT'S INDESCRIBABLE.
>> OH, YEAH, THE MUSIC IS AROUND US, DEFINITELY.
EVERY TIME YOU -- WE COULD PLAY EVERY NIGHT FOR THE NEXT 10 NIGHTS, AND THE MUSIC WILL SOUND DIFFERENT.
AND WHAT WE DO IS WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THEM TO DO IMPROVISATION, IT'S GOT TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S SPONTANEOUS.
IT'S COMING FROM -- IF I'M THE SAXOPHONIST, I'M INTERACTING WITH EVERYONE WHO'S IN THE BAND, SO THE INTERACTION MIGHT COME FROM ME AND THE BASS FIRST, OR ME AND THE DRUMS OR ME AND THE BASS TOGETHER WITH THE DRUMS OR JUST ME AND THE PIANO.
OR I MIGHT GET THE EXPRESSION FROM SOMEBODY IN THE BACK WHO'S DOING LIKE THIS, "YEAH! SWING!" YOU KNOW, IT COMES FROM SEEING CERTAIN THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT ALLOW ME TO DEVELOP.
>> HOW TO SWING? YEAH.
JAZZ IS NOT SOME MAGICAL, MYSTICAL MUSIC, LIKE UP IN THE CLOUDS, THAT ONLY A FEW SELECT PEOPLE CAN GET.
IT'S THE MUSIC FOR EVERYONE.
IT WAS THE MUSIC FOR AFRICAN SLAVES.
IT WAS THE MUSIC FOR THE WHITE UPPER CLASS.
IT'S THE MUSIC FOR EVERYONE.
ANYONE CAN GET SOMETHING OUT OF JAZZ.
IF IT'S A QUIRKY PERSON, THEY'RE GONNA ENJOY THELONIOUS MONK.
IF IT'S A SENSUAL PERSON, THEY'RE GONNA ENJOY MILES DAVIS.
SO, THE MUSIC'S FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S A TACTILE, CONCRETE MUSIC.
THERE'S NOTHING MYSTICAL ABOUT IT.
BUT IT'S JUST -- THERE'S SO -- IT'S AN ART, SO YOU KIND OF HAVE TO GET A GRASP ON CONTROLLING THE ART AND LETTING THE ART CONTROL YOU IN A WAY.
>> PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC IS KIND OF LIKE BASEBALL.
SO, FIRST THING IS YOU GOT TO GET THE FEEL OF THE SWING.
SO IF YOU GET A BAT, YOU HAVE TO GET A CERTAIN TYPE OF FEEL IN THE BAT.
THE FIRST TIME YOU HAVE THE BAT, AND YOU MISS THE BALL, YOU CAN FEEL THE BALL GOING PAST YOU.
SO YOU HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE BAT TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THE BAT HAS TO COME FORWARD A CERTAIN WAY, AND IT HAS TO MEET THE BALL.
AND ONCE YOU MEET THE BALL, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO MEET IT HARD.
IT JUST HITS IT AT A CERTAIN ANGLE, AND THE BALL GOES FLYING.
IT HAS TO BE COORDINATED JUST LIKE THAT.
SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN TYPE OF COORDINATION.
SO THE FIRST THING I TELL THE KIDS, "LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN SNAP YOUR FINGERS ON 2 AND 4.”
AND AT FIRST THEY'RE DOING IT, YEAH, AND I SAY, "WELL, YOU'RE KIND OF OFF NOW.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ALWAYS SWINGING.”
>> NOW, I HAD TO EXAMINE THAT.
"HOW DID I LEARN RHYTHM?" I ASKED MY MOM.
I SAID, "WELL, SINCE I CAN REMEMBER, I COULD ALWAYS DANCE, SO HOW DID I LEARN THAT?" SHE SAID, "WELL, IT'S PART OF CULTURE.
JUST LOOK AT HOW YOU TREAT YOUR CHILDREN.”
SO, I'M DANCING WITH MY BABIES WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE, AND I'M TAPPING RHYTHM ON THEM.
THAT'S PART OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE.
>> Announcer: THIS PRESENTATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO YOU BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, AMERICA'S PREMIER LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION -- 150 YEARS OF ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE AND TRANSFORMING LIVES.
>> I THINK GREAT ART IS MADE FROM SORT OF NOT COMPROMISING TOO MUCH, SO HERE WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTO JUST SWING AND THE LANGUAGE OF SWING AND SO THERE'S COMMON LANGUAGE, AND WE GO FROM THE MUSIC ON THE PAGE TO SOLOS AND INTERACTING AND THAT SORT OF THING.
>> YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR EARS SO OPEN 'CAUSE THE MUSIC IS OUT THERE.
IT'S IN THE EAR -- IN THE AIR -- AND IF YOU ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH LOOKING AT THE SHEET MUSIC, THEN YOU CAN'T REALLY BE EXPRESSIVE, YOU KNOW? BUT NOT TO USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE, 'CAUSE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, SO MANY PLAYERS WOULD TRY TO SAY YOU DIDN'T NEED TO LEARN ANY MUSIC.
I THINK YOU NEED THOSE TOOLS.
YOU NEED TO LEARN.
THAT MAKES YOU COMPLETE MUSIC -- IF YOU CAN HEAR AND YOU CAN PLAY.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THE MENTAL PICTURE, YOU GOT THE SPIRITUAL PICTURE, AND YOU GOT THE PHYSICAL PICTURE.
YOU GOT IT ALL COVERED.
YOU CAN HEAR IT, YOU CAN SEE IT, AND YOU CAN SMELL IT.
[ LAUGHS ] IF YOU HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THEN YOU CAN LIVE IN THE MUSIC.
>> I WAS ONCE ASKED, "WHAT IS JAZZ?" JAZZ IS A STYLE OF PLAYING MUSIC.
THAT'S ALL IT IS -- A STYLE OF PLAYING MUSIC.
>> YOU USE THE MUSIC TO DESCRIBE IT 'CAUSE WORDS CAN'T DO IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO...
>> WHAT CAME FIRST, THE RHYTHM OR THE HARMONIC OR THE, YOU KNOW -- WELL, ANYBODY ASKS THAT GOT TO KNOW THE RHYTHM CAME FIRST.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHY WOULD YOU ASK A QUESTION LIKE THAT? [ LAUGHS ] YOU KNOW, THE RHYTHM WAS HERE BEFORE THEY EVEN KNEW WHAT "C" WAS.
WHAT THEY EVEN -- HOW THEY COME UP WITH "C"? THE RHYTHM WAS HERE.
COME ON! >> LET'S TRY EVERYBODY -- ONLY PERSON WITH VIBRATO IS THE TOP NOTE.
>> BUT THIS IS MSU, AND IT IS EDUCATION.
THE GOAL HERE IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST THE JAMS, MORE THAN JUST SWINGIN'.
THESE TALENTED STUDENTS, SOMEWHAT LOST IN THE SWIRL OF THE MUSIC, WILL BE OUR TEACHERS, OUR COMPOSERS, OUR MUSICIANS, AND, YES, OUR LEGENDS.
>> I USED TO SAY PROBABLY HALF, OR LESS THAN HALF OF THE KIDS, WILL BECOME PERFORMERS.
I USED TO THINK THAT, BUT I THINK THAT PROBABLY YOU WILL HAVE 80% OF THE KIDS WILL BE PERFORMERS FROM THIS PROGRAM.
AND WHAT I'M SEEING IS A TREND OF THE KIDS WHO DON'T REALLY LOVE IT AND DON'T THINK THAT THEY'LL MAKE IT, THEY WASH OUT AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND THAT THE KIDS THAT REALLY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE EASY, THEY STAY AND THEY FINISH AND THEY GO ON TO GET GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS AT OTHER PROGRAMS OR PURSUE ACTIVE-PERFORMANCE CAREERS.
>> MY ADVICE TO THOSE GOING INTO MUSIC IS, THERE ARE EASIER WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING.
AND IF YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT, THEN GO FULL TILT FOR IT.
>> [ SIGHS ] EVERYBODY LIKES TO MAKE MONEY.
EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE TO BE RICH.
BUT IN THE JAZZ ARENA, AND THE TRUE JAZZ MUSICIAN, IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT THE MUSIC.
>> THE ONLY THING THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH TO BE A MUSICIAN IS NOT ECONOMICS, NOT BUSINESS, NOT ANY OF THAT -- IT'S THE MUSIC.
AND ONCE YOU CAN ALLOW THE MUSIC TO BE YOUR COMPASS AND YOUR GUIDE, THEN YOU'LL MAKE MONEY BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT BEING ON TIME AND ALL THAT SORT OF BUSINESS STUFF.
BUT IF YOU KNOW THE TUNES, AND YOU CAN SWING HARD AND YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF, YOU'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL, AND YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MONEY.
THE MUSIC -- THAT'S OUR GUIDE.
>> THE JAZZ STUDIES PROGRAM AT MSU IS ALWAYS SWINGING, ALWAYS TEACHING, ALWAYS HERE WHEN YOU'RE READY.
THE JAZZ GOES ON.
THE TRADITIONS ARE PASSED ON.
THE LESSONS AND THE MUSIC ARE ETERNAL.
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF, YOU RECEIVE, AND YOU GIVE SOME MORE.
IT IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN IMMERSE YOURSELF INTO A STUDY IN JAZZ.
BUT IT FEELS LIKE PLAY.
AFTER ALL, WHERE ELSE IS YOUR PROFESSOR GONNA LOOK AT YOU AND SAY, "ALL RIGHT, GO PLAY.”
[ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] [ JAZZ MUSIC PLAYS ] -- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com [ JAZZ MUSIC CONTINUES ] [ APPLAUSE ] >> Announcer: THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS PRODUCED BY MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BIG TEN NETWORK.
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