Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life

Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life [Wynton Marsalis, Geoffrey Ward] on leondumoulin.nl *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Moving to .
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Related Video Shorts 0 Upload your video. Try the Kindle edition and experience these great reading features: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a customer review. Read reviews that mention higher ground moving to higher art form change your life jazz can change louis armstrong wynton marsalis really enjoyed jazz musicians love this book book by wynton history of jazz jazz history ground jazz book by wynton marsalis jazz can change your life jazz this book lessons listen swing.

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. As one who conducts research, gives lectures, and writes about the psychology of musicianship see my book "Social Psychology of Musicianship" on Amazon. Social Psychology of Musicianship com , I assiduously study the viewpoints on the subject set forth by others. From his early days on the National music scene, I have followed the "teachings" of Wynton Marsalis. Whether in a master class, a concert, or this book, Mr. Marsalis has become increasingly competent at scholarly analysis of musicianship.

Although done with the assistance of another writer, Mr. Marsalis offers unique insights into the world of jazz. Far more than storytelling albeit there are plenty of anecdotes , the information explores the "musical elements" that pave the way to knowledge about musicianship.

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For any student music in addition to a copy for myself, I bought a copy to my eleven year-old granddaughter , this book is enlightening. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. Although written for kids, it's excellent for all ages. Wynton is both a good storyteller and a great jazz educator. This should be required reading for any aspiring musician or music lover! We used it for a book discussion group in an urban kids after school program. Great tool to teach kids and us how to listen better and how musicians differentiate themselves.

One person found this helpful. I love this book!! As someone who has played jazz and loves the music, I only wish I had read this sooner. Not only does Wynton Marsalis clearly bring a great deal of knowledge to the subject, but he articulates it with such clarity and readability. Marsalis captures the essence of the music and the musicians who play it making the music he loves relatable to people even if they do not play music at all. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who plays jazz, wants to play jazz, or just wants to learn more about jazz! Wynton Marsalis is widely known as a fine performer.

However, not everyone knows his importance as a student of musical history and, perhaps even more important, as an inspiring master teacher. This is an easily readable and useful instruction manual with lessons taken from the musical idiom and applicable across all aspects of human life. One person found this helpful 2 people found this helpful. Marsalis is quite the intellectual. Makes great points in a clear manner.

Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life

Not just daydreaming about drumming! I'd forgotten how good drumming made my heart feel in the past. I just listen and do not necessarily pay attention to artist names and such. This book provided me a starting point for a jazz play list. I had a lot of fun reading this book. Marsalis has obviously spent a lot of time thinking about jazz and its relation to larger cultural issues.

The point of a book like this isn't indoctrination; it's provocation. Marsalis wants us to think about what jazz is and is not and why the answer to those questions matter. See all 31 reviews. Most recent customer reviews. Published 7 months ago. Published 9 months ago. Published 10 months ago. Published 1 year ago. Published on December 9, Published on May 25, What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons from Jazz. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations. View or edit your browsing history. Throughout it all, though, what comes through is his love for the music and respect for the people who make it. This book has so much heart, it swings. Nov 01, Nick Mann added it. Through a couple of chapters I was thinking that a reader would need some significant musical training to follow; and I mistakenly thought that Wynton Marsalis was trying to teach non jazz fans about jazz.

His treatment of the blues as a music that backs up, supports, or is the foundation for good jazz was illuminating. But for me, the successes of this book were the bigger lessons that Marsalis provides about life. As a DC hand dancer, I loved his obvious respect for swing dancing and his laments about how several generations now have lost the kind of connections to one another that we who still partner-dance enjoy.

Quanto agli "esperti", non ci troveranno certo informazioni particolarmente nuove o utili, ma solo opinioni da condividere o meno. Per tutti, neofiti o "esperti", risulteranno noiose e mal riuscite le parti in cui Marsalis cerca di "filosofare" sul jazz applicato alla vita. My dad lent me this book because of our long-standing mutual interest in jazz and his hero-worship of Marsalis. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked it up, and was a bit concerned that I was getting into another new age feel-good pointlessness.

However, Marsalis lived up to his reputation and delivered a fun book that touched on the history of some of jazz's main players, his own history, some fundamental aspects of jazz, and argued a case for jazz's ability to influence society and My dad lent me this book because of our long-standing mutual interest in jazz and his hero-worship of Marsalis.

However, Marsalis lived up to his reputation and delivered a fun book that touched on the history of some of jazz's main players, his own history, some fundamental aspects of jazz, and argued a case for jazz's ability to influence society and the individuals contained therein. The book is written in a conversational, colloquial style that's quite engaging and natural. It was a quick read, I learned some things, and I'm in the mood to listen to some jazz.

Jan 09, Deborah J. This is the first of many books I will read, written by Wynton Marsalis. As he has finally shed his reputation as a young arrogant musician not-so-young anymore , he is coming into his own as a master--not just musically, but philosophically as well. This book was a quick read, but an intense one. And although it was written many years ago, I know what the current Marsalis wants to say with his words.

Overall, very inspiring and a must for jazz musicians and especially jazz lovers. I'm baby crawling my way into the Jazz world and I should say that this book left me with lots of beautiful metaphors on the power of music as a tool for giving meaning to one's life, as well as the importance of expressing yourself and connecting with others through the music. May 02, Carlos Martinez rated it really liked it. A thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring work exploring the history and nature of jazz, interspersed with anecdotes form Marsalis' life.

You will most likely disagree with some of the author's opinions I certainly did , but his perspective is always interesting. A quick and satisfying read. Jul 08, - - rated it it was amazing. Recollections, and an extended riff on Jazz as music for the post feudal age. Libro molto interessante per chi ama o si avvicina a questo genere. Lo trovato solo un po lento. Molto bella la parte con la descrizione degli artisti. Saya bukan penggemar jazz. Hanya sesekali telinga saya menikmati alunan acak dari musisi jazz.

Tetapi bahwa buku ini hadir begitu menghibur dan informatif sekaligus reflektif adalah ranah yang berbeda. Jazz ternyata memiliki seejarah panjang dan bagaimana musik itu memiliki pengaruh bagi pemain dan pendengar. Jazz mengajarkan bagaimana kita membuat harmonisasi di tengah kemerdekaan setiap pemain solois yang kerap acak dan sangat ekspresif dalam menumpahkan aneka peraasaan dalam dirinya. Dan bagi Saya bukan penggemar jazz. Dan bagi pendengar, kita akan diajarkan bagaimana fokus menikmati musik dan menerima kejutannya. Karena sejarah jazz adalah sejarah orang-orang marjinal, ada kisah tragis orang-orang kulit hitam yang ingin memperdengarkan musik jazz ke hadapan banyak orang.

Terima kasih, bukunya menghibur sekali Nov 05, True Lin rated it it was amazing. I read this book in , and now I think I really knew what is jazz music and swings. Aug 09, Mark rated it really liked it. An interesting partial autobiography of Wynton Marsalis, seeing how he grew up with various jazz and blues experiences. His views on jazz, how it was created, and how it has progressed in our culture to popularity are very interesting and insightful.

He gives a wonderful overview of jazz greats in one chapter, summarizing their work and what they brought to the genre, and recommending albums from each artist. Most of all, Wynton portrays jazz as the ideal representation of American freedom and d An interesting partial autobiography of Wynton Marsalis, seeing how he grew up with various jazz and blues experiences.

Most of all, Wynton portrays jazz as the ideal representation of American freedom and diversity, and gives examples of how jazz musicians give and take from each other in performances, working together to make beautiful music, and how we all can apply such ideals to our own lives. I was very impressed with Wynton's book, as I have been with his music for years and with his striving for the strengthening of jazz once again in our culture, especially in schools. You may be surprised at his frankness at some points, but I believe he makes great points and they come together to be a good representation of jazz in our culture and lives.

Jan 22, Marc rated it really liked it.


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This is a fascinating collection of essays on jazz. They are of varying interest and quality but do build to a powerful climax equating the essential nature of jazz and living a meaningful existence in society today. I admit that I was tempted to skip this chapter except for the fact that I was wondering if this would be valuable for my students. Wynton's way of discussing jazz terminology shed a new light on many aspects This is a fascinating collection of essays on jazz.

Wynton's way of discussing jazz terminology shed a new light on many aspects of jazz that I had no inkling of.

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Perhaps the biggest reason to read the book though is the chapter on jazz masters. Wynton has a personal take on what makes each of these people special and how they have contributed to music and our understanding of it. The biggest epiphany for me was the realization that many of these gods had to work very hard to become the masters of the music that they became.

Few of the greats were simply born with innate talent. It gives me hope for me and my students! Dec 28, Shanahanthomas rated it really liked it. In this book, Marsalis describes the history of Jazz as a uniquely American form of music which also contains elements of the most important type of music that can be found anywhere in the World: He believes Jazz embodies the aspirations, realities and truth of democracy, human existence, individuality and community all at once.

There are some interesting tidbits here. He tells about his struggles with racism and his own bigotry and anger growing up i Wynton's thesis: He tells about his struggles with racism and his own bigotry and anger growing up in Kenner near New Orleans. He tells about those who helped him discard this destructive outlook and his ultimate recognition that Jazz belongs to no race; that it belongs to humanity.

On a more basic level, he describes the background, development, playing and technique of some of the greats, including Bird, Coltrane, Armstrong, Monk, Miles, Sonny, Jelly Roll and many others. This is a good book for anyone with an interest in Jazz. And it came highly recommended by a DC cab driver as well!

Dec 20, Beronica rated it liked it. Overall, I like the book. The beginning was inspirational and a neat background to Marsalis' life. The jazz history lessons, chapter song list and insight into some of the greatest Jazz musicians is cool. I am still in awe about Louis Armstrong. I know, people are people and don't judge.

Presentation Zen: Moving to higher ground: Lessons from the art of jazz (part I)

Then, there was the chapter about Miles Davis that read like his on and spiraling on life of drug addictio Overall, I like the book. He also gives a real sense of what it's like to play this music, with its constantly shifting interaction between self and sound and other. But the book is not just about jazz. Marsalis relates his highly personal story of being an eight-year-old who was one of two black children in an "integrated" school.

He takes this section of the book further by including a number of stories illustrating his own moments of ignorance and arrogance. The history of his personal experience as a black American expands into a thoughtful consideration of race relations altogether, and is certainly one of the most compelling sections of the book.

Marsalis is an engaging narrator throughout. His conversational, easygoing tone is eminently readable, and the book is bursting with the anecdotes that make any jazz autobiography so enjoyable. He has a lot of opinions and some tart comments including plenty about jazz writers, ouch , but he doesn't spare himself, which gives the book a nice balance. Best of all, Moving To Higher Ground is full of inspiring insights. Marsalis offers a wealth of comments on how one can achieve higher levels of human consciousness by engaging in art in all forms, and the exquisitely crafted prose kudos to cowriter Geoffrey C.

Ward makes the reader feel these concepts by the beauty and clarity of the words. Marsalis is not a fan of avant-garde jazz, and he does his best to explain why. Marsalis is of course entitled to his opinion, and he is certainly not the only one who feels this way about avant-garde jazz, or Coltrane for that matter. Things get sticky because Marsalis is, arguably, the most well-known living jazz musician, and is considered by many to be the spokesperson for American jazz. Also, as artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he has tremendous influence in the jazz world and beyond.

As a result his dislike of avant-garde jazz is not just an opinion: This creates resentment among those struggling to create, promote and listen to non-traditional jazz, and therefore there are many people who do not want to hear anything Marsalis has to play or say. How a Jazz Musician Started a Blue Note Records My grandmother got me listening to jazz music as a young boy, but I wasn't really hooked until I heard Wynton Marsalis perform live, when I was 13 years old. My grandmother took me backstage to meet Wynton and he gave me a little lesson.

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Wynton Marsalis & Geoffrey Ward

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