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| Wynton Marsalis: A Youngarts Masterclass The HBO Family documentary A Youngarts Masterclass kicks off the third season of the two-time Emmy-nominated series, following three promising musicians as they work with jazz legend, Wynton Marsalis. In the season debut MONDAY, SEPT. 9 (7:30-8:00 p.m. ET/PT), on HBO, the young virtuosos selected by the National YoungArts Foundation – which offers talented high-school students from around the country the chance to be mentored by some of the world's greatest artists – prepare to perform alongside Marsalis at during a family Jazz for Young People concert performance at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Other HBO playdates: Sept. 11 (2:00 p.m.), 14 (11:00 a.m.), 17 (6:15 a.m.), 20 (10:30 a.m.) and 29 (8:30 a.m.). HBO Family playdates: Sept. 15 (10:45 p.m.), 18 (11:30 p.m.), 23 (8:30 p.m.), 24 (3:55 a.m.) and 27 (6:30 p.m.), and Oct. 6 (5:25 a.m.), 19 (6:25 p.m.) and 20 (5:20 a.m.) In the all-new YOUNGARTS MASTERCLASS episode three promising young musicians – saxophonist Patrick Bartley, pianist Tony Madruga, and bass player Russell Hall – meet at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York to practice under the tutelage of Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis. The mentees pay close attention as he provides invaluable critique on musicianship and offers insights into the realm of improvisation. "Jazz is the only music in the world where four people sit up on a bandstand and they have to give shape, logic, and form to music as they're making it, " Marsalis explains. "What musicians do and artists do, is they give form to chaos." Though best known for his virtuosity on the trumpet as a composer and bandleader, Marsalis is also an outstanding educator. He effortlessly gives feedback on the students' own instruments – even taking to the piano without missing a beat. Over dinner, he recounts his own career path and advises them on life in the professional jazz world. Encouraging the threesome to become one another's support system, he tells them that if they really want to be professionals, they should have many kinds of experiences to learn from, saying, "Play with different people. Play all kinds of gigs… Broadway shows, the circus, cocktail parties!" Before their performance at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the students participated in an interview with program director of the Real Jazz show on SiriusXM, Mark Ruffin. They were also fitted for performance wardrobe at Brooks Brothers, and watched a set at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola featuring Wycliffe Gordon and Friends. The students were the featured guest artists at the Jazz at Lincoln Center family concert entitled "Who is John Coltrane?" at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater. The rehearsals and performances also featured Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra member, Walter Blanding on saxophone, and up-and-coming jazz drummer, Jamison Ross, Marsalis gives each student a word to consider while playing in order to help perfect their craft. Patrick's is "relaxation, " to harness his excited energy, Russell's is "concentration, " to listen carefully to the instruments around him, and Tony's is "freedom, " to venture outside his comfort zone. Reflecting on the importance of passing the torch, Marsalis remarks "I want them to take away from it that 'you're a part of this, ' and we need you to come out here and be a part of it and make it be glorious, make it be great…and they're going to do that. Watch…" In 2011, YOUNGARTS MASTERCLASS received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Children's Nonfiction, Reality or Reality-Competition Program. The series recently received another Emmy nomination, in the category of Outstanding Children's Program. write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Jazz News :: home page |