A big part of that success is Marsalis' commitment to the program and his annual summer workshops there. To Wynton, the son of jazz pianist and teacher Ellis Marsalis, working with young musicians is a natural part of his musical vocation. To me, the source of all a teacher's power comes from the creative playing of the music itself. You communicate a lot more than what you tell the students. The communication really comes from God.
Teaching is a very spiritual thing.
From the moment he walks into the classroom, dressed in khakis, suspenders and a gray jersey, Marsalis is in total control. Illustrating his words with dazzling runs or guttural grunts from his horn, he explains the fundamentals of jazz playing in strong, simple language that loses little when translated into French. To swing, it isn't necessary to play loud. See, we all use repetition to construct our solos, but we all have a different personality. Marsalis proceeds to call the young players up in groups of four.