Rules Aren't Meant To Be Broken

If you're like me, you're a natural rule follower. The one kid who likes to have rules and structure to follow. Unless, that, is, you're ticked off. I have only once been ticked off by music when it was my fault. The trumpet section however... that's a completely different story.

Even though it's not so recent, I have discovered Wynton Marsalis's 12 Rules of Practicing. Wynton Marsalis comes from a family of musicians, including Ellis, Branford, Jason, and Delfeayo Marsalis. Wynton was born in New Orleans. When he was just fourteen, he performed with the New Orleans Philharmonic. He is the youngest person to be admitted to Tanglewood's Berkshire Music Center, and also won the Harvey Shapiro Award for being an outstanding brass student. He then moved and attended Juilliard, cause, you know, when you're that good, why not.

 Wynton doing his thing

Image courtesy of Juilliard

Wynton Marsalis' Twelve Rules of Practice

1. Seek out the best private instruction you can afford.

2. Write/work out a regular practice schedule.

3. Set realistic goals.

4. Concentrate when practicing

5. Relax and practice slowly

6. Practice what you can’t play. – (The hard parts.)

7. Always play with maximum expression.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

9. Don’t show off.

10. Think for yourself. – (Don’t rely on methods.)

11. Be optimistic. – “Music washes away the dust of everyday life.”

12. Look for connections between your music and other things.

No matter what you think, no, I totally did not tape that to my music stand at all.

Sarcasm.

Way back in the day of 1995, PBS premiered a show called Marsalis On Music. Marsalis On Music is an educational jazz television series, of which the Twelve Rules of Practice came from. I don't know about you, but I find those rules extremely useful when I practice. When I get ticked or upset, I look at number eleven. It really helps to know that music does bring me joy and happiness, and I should feel bubbly and excited when I play rather than angry and frustrated.

Image courtesy of Movie Insider

Another great thing I discovered is a movie called Keep On Keepin' On. The movie is about a blind pianist Justin Kauflin, and a famous jazz trumpeter Clark Terry. Over the course of the movie, Clark helps Justin prepare for a big international jazz competition, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. It's kind of a big deal, by the way.

The competition isn't as important as the friendship that is developed. Justin was 23 when the movie was filmed, and Clark was 86. They were from two completely different generations, and yet they were inseparable. Why? Oh, because you know, music.  I don't remember how they met, but that doesn't matter. They are just two best friends bonding over music. Justin has learned so much from Clark, and they both learn from each others' personality. Isn't that cool?

Image courtesy of Miaje

While we're on the subject of cool jazz movies, another one is Chops. Chops is a movie that follows the earlier years of a few boys before they were picked to go to the Essentially Ellington competition. Wynton Marsalis spoke some in the movie, and had a lot of great quotes. One of the boys caught my attention. I don't remember his name, but he played trombone. There was a scene where his father was talking about how his son would stay up practicing until midnight. I think that is probably some of the best dedication there is in young students. To be able to focus that long on a tiny detail, whether it be a lick or a note, means some serious dedication to what he is doing. I'm quite jealous of that trombone player.

Like I said before, I loved what Wynton Marsalis said in the movie. I looked up some quotes and found possibly some of the best things ever said about music.

"Sustained intensity equals ecstasy."

Now that is one of the truest of true quotes I have ever heard. Have you ever been so focused on something that it makes you absolutely happy?

"The bandstand is a sacred place."

True that. If you don't worship music and respect it enough to play it, don't get on the stand.

Lastly, just to bring back the trumpet jokes, my favorite:

"Trumpet players are just belligerant, and cocky, and you know, just hard-headed."

Pete Escovedo's Orchestra

Something you should know about me is that Latin jazz is my absolute favorite type of music. Latin jazz has a feel unique to music itself and I can never get enough of it. The way the rhythm section grooves together with the timbales and clave- it is just killin' on the stage! Trombone solos are more my style when they're Latin with straight eights and licks that compliment the clave.On one Saturday, a man named Pete Escovedo came to Salt Lake for a concert. 

Pete Escovedo is a seventy-nine year old Latin percussionist. Since the late 1960's Pete has been a large force in Latin music, bringing him to success in many other genres like Latin jazz, salsa, rock, and Latin pop. He had originally played saxophone in high school, until he switched to the vibes later on. Pete had eventually gotten hired by a famous pianist along with his brother for a gig.Then his younger brother had started playing the bass, and the Escovedo Brothers Latin Jazz Sextet was formed. Unfortunately, for a good reason, the sextet was broken up when Pete and one of his brothers was called to play with Santana. Three years later, Pete and his brother had found another group called Azteca, and recorded two albums.

Pete Escovedo playing at the White House

Image courtesy of Pete Escovedo

Pete has performed with many other big names in jazz, such as Herbie Hancock, Woody Herman, Cal Tjader, and Tito Puente. He even led his own orchestra for a while, with his kids Juan, Peter, Michael, and Sheila. Pete has performed with Sheila when she was just a teenager, and had her record on an album with him and Billy Cobham. Sheila E. is quite famous for some of her songs like The Glamorous Life, but she couldn't have done it without her father. 

Caroleine and I both really enjoyed his concert. The first song on the set was a trombone feature and I think I fell out of my chair. After Intermission, Caleb Chapman's La Onda Caribena got to go onstage and play with the orchestra. It was really quite enjoyable. By the end of the concert, Caroleine and I were dancing through the rows and all around the theater and it was absolutely amazing. We also made new friends Debbie and Tom, who were big fans of Pete Escovedo and recently (I had nothing to do with it, I promise) the Little Big Band (Just kidding I was lying), so yay.

Later that week, my school jazz band had a concert. We played three tunes- St. Thomas, My Funny Valentine, and Four Brothers. On St. Thomas, I had a 32-bar solo, which was great, because I was the only one soloing. You know what wasn't great? I HAD THE FLU. THE FREAKING FLU. ON THE NIGHT OF THE CONCERT. My insides wanted to be on my outsides. I had to manage to play like that, but luckily it was short. It wasn't too bad on stage because I was focused on the music, but before and after.... ech.