“Wynton Marsalis is absolutely the one to write this book. Here he is as young as morning, as fresh as dew, and already called one of the jazz greats. He is not only a seer and an exemplary musician, but a poet as well. He informs us that jazz was created, among other things, to expose the hypocrisy and absurdity of racism and other ignorances in our country. Poetry was given to human beings for the same reason – [This book] is an absolute joy to read.”
– Maya Angelou
Contents (174 pages)
- Introduction: Now, that's jazz
- Chapter 1: Discovering the joy of swinging
- Chapter 2: Speaking the language of jazz
- Chapter 3: Everybody's music: the blues
- Chapter 4: What it takes – and how it feels – to play
- Chapter 5: The great coming together
- Chapter 6: Lessons from the masters
- Chapter 7: That thing with no name
- Afterword: Conversation between Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Wynton Marsalis
ISBN: 978-0-8129-6908-5