Solo construction is addressed here academically speaking and technically speaking. A caveat I'd brave sugar here is that the SeLF needs accounting for when improvisation is approached as a concept of an individuals own invention. Supreme respect for tradition and it's predominant historical figures is the way of a general student but improvisation in regards to an individuals ability to freely expreß their own invention isn't addressed here and I wish to offer that improvisation in the truest form of individuals want to expression happens when you take the studied information and allow that to corse through you and then out of you freely without inhibits like respect for tradition or tribute to heros of yours. The information is improvised by you when it feels like it comes from you. I understand the answer winton gave was in the jazz context . I agree his point on immersion and history study. The question on improvisation thoug I think is about he individual. Choice is the key word. You chose what you pull from in you're knowledge database in a moment unplanned. He more organic that feels to do the Less you are habitually following traditional doctrine and he more you are finding your free willing self. Improvisation can mean a lot of things. For me it has always meant what you brought to a solo unplanned and always live and appropriate to that situation

i'm 73 and always had an ignorant view, which i have since realized, of jazz being just a group of musicians making individual incomprehensible sounds. But since widening my interest and researching the music and musicians, it is now my favourite music. I love listening to musicians talking about other artist who inspired them. The music cannot be separated from its history and struggle of its musicians in America. Thank you, from the UK

Wynton Marsalis' listening and reading suggestions: 1:18 Louis Armstrong. "Tight Like This" 1:46 Charlie Parker. "Embraceable You" 2:31 Miles Davis. "No Blues/Pfrancing" from Album "Someday my Prince Will Come." 2:45 Bix Beiderbeck, read his writings on Louis Armstrong 2:57 Thelonious Monk, Album: "Monk's Time"

he just gave a whole semester syllabus on solo construction amazing

Wynton is the greatest communicator in the history of this music, besides being one of the GOATS of the instrument he chose. Through all my years I have turned to him to be inspired and to feel the magnitude of the importance of this expression. Gratitude and love!

Grow your village, we are the company we keep...

The answer is always the same: transcribe. Got to do that fiendishly hard work.

When I was a Jazz major at Loyola in New Orleans 1985-1989 Wynton gave a clinic during the Jazz Festival. Somebody asked him “what is the difference between Classical and Jazz”? This was the year Wynton won the Grammy for best Instrumental Jazz, and Classical recordings. The first time that had ever been done. His answer was genius! He said “Classical music is very exact and requires perfect technique, you must play it correctly, or it’s wrong. Jazz is having Classical technique but being able to improvise instantly.” This answer changed my life and I’m sure many other students that day.

At around 1:55 the music shows Bird's take 2 solo, whereas Wynton is actually talking about take 1. That is why he specified which solo it is, because while take 2 might be more famous (and more flashy), take 1 is just a little bit more melodic.

Great lesson. I'm glad Wynton mentions Miles as one of his main influences and a model for trumpet players, given that the two of them had some disagreements back in the 80s.

As a Blues and Blues-adjacent harmonica player, I recently attended a seminar during which an attendee said, "My solos are okay, but I have trouble getting out of them smoothly." The instructor (John Nemeth) pointed out that incorporating the _melody_ into your solo, especially at the end, will naturally smooth out the transition at the end. Well, it then occurred to me that, the more 12-Bar Blues _melodies_ I learn, the more I can _mix and match_ them into my solo work...on _any_ 12-Bar Blues song. _Now,_ knowing how much Blues and Jazz have co-accelerated each other over the years, particularly with regard to their improvisational aspects, I'm overjoyed to learn that _comping_ is an essential and _encouraged_ element of Jazz.

I’ve found the best way to get better at improvising is by practicing improvising. Not by playing exercises or memorized solos. And I would transcribe what I want to learn over what someone else told me to.

The Charlie Parker Dial recording of "Embraceable You" is actually a quote of a song called "Just A Table In A Corner."

Wow a great musician a great man i union what he was saying about being young and not listening to some of the elders he grew respectful and learned about these geniuses GOD Bless Wynton a true genius

Pure GOLD!!

Incredible, thank you

Love the practical steps!

Superb.

I love his honesty.

America's greatet musician , Love Wynton

Thank you, Mr. Marsalis. I really appreciate your wisdom and the way that you share it with young people. You are an inspiration to me and, I am sure, to countless others. Thank you.

dropping the knowledge!

the guy is a legend

That a $1000 lesson right there.

This is very nice, but there are some "but"s. F'rexample, Wynton heard his father and associates at the same time he acquired language. I acquired language as a kid too, but didn't learn my second one until I was in my teens. I'm okay at it, but I'll never do arithmetic in anything but English. I liked music as a kid, but every time I approached it, I was steered into Euro Classical music. It's nice -- monumental, really -- but I'm American, so it didn't really sit right with me, and I was instructed by my elders and betters that "if you can play classical music, you can play anything." At the time, disagreeing with such folks was taboo, so I believed them -- and was a pretty old man before I understood how foolish they were. Do you realize that in a classical music education, the concept of developing a melodic vocabulary is not spoken of, and not even recognized. By the time I caught on, I was 60, and if you've ever spoken to someone who acquired English at 60, you'll realize that, outside of just staying alive, they're never going to really get the hang of it. That's just how it is. Big world; every possibility happens. So, what's the moral of the story? Choose your parents and teachers well? Run away with the circus at 6? I didn't start to LEARN the American Songbook until I was 40 (courtesy of the Barbershop Quartet Society). I began to apply what I learned to my instrument at 50. It's slow going. I learned countless licks, memorized a few of the songs from The Omnibook, but not much sticks. I recently watched Wynton's story of The Worst Band Ever, and cried -- for nobody but myself, and for the damage I had done myself by heeding those who told me what's good for me. Yes, I was stupid to believe them, but I had also learned that those who strayed from the approved ways were not only stupid, but wicked as well, so I willingly and energetically cut off my own spirit. This spring, I'll attend the New York Hot Jazz Camp, probably with mostly people who could be my children or grandchildren. I'll probably have some fun and enjoy some good company. And I'll probably learn something, but the amount that truly seeps into my system and becomes permanent and meaningful will probably be marginal. At least that's what my intuitions -- along with statistics -- say. In recent years, I read The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. The author describes how she went about choosing a piano teacher for her kids. In one interview, the candidate mentioned the word "improvise", which instantly ended the interview. I wanted to strangle her. I don't know how her kids are doing now. They might or might not be able to get through some of the popular Austrian sonatas with few noticeable errors, but I'd give odds of 2-to-1 that they're not very good at it. And at playing normal, American music? I'll give you 5-to-1against. So it goes.

Gold

EXCELLENT advice!😀❤️

Nice edit

Wow

please link the full video - this is incredible.

listen

Hes goat

No mention of Woody Shaw!

I hope the question asker was recording that, because I would’ve forgot everything he said right after

What a joke. Wynton is one of the worst soloists ever!