Klarinet Archive - Posting 000329.txt from 1996/06

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Talent vs hard work
Date: Fri, 21 Jun 1996 03:11:47 -0400

I was watching Charlie Rose early this morning on WNET, where his guest
was Marcus Roberts, world acclaimed jazz pianist who worked with Wynton
Marsalis' septet for several years before forming his current Marcus
Roberts Trio (the drummer of which is no less than Wynton's youngest
brother Jason -- what a family!). Charlie remarked to Marcus that across
the entire range of geniuses he'd had on his show over the years -- be
they musicians, scientists, architects, philosophers, etc. -- the
consensus among all of them when asked the question concerning how they'd
become as great as they are was unmistakable: "Hard work." Marcus
concurred, and also offered an example in Charlie Parker, who he
unabashedly admitted was *not* among the most _talented_ of his
generation. Parker's rights among the legends of jazz were earned
through ceaseless toils in the practice room and on the stage, learning,
developing, experimenting, innovating. Marcus himself, now secure in his
place as one of the great contributors to the jazz tradition in the 20th
century...literally feels the music that he creates through his own hard
work, for he is blind.

Neil