WYNTON MARSALIS, the great trumpet-player and teacher from New Orleans, was a star by the time he was 19. In his 20s, recording for Sony/Columbia, he was so fluent in the languages of both classical music and jazz that he was releasing albums alternately in both genres.
But Marsalis’s example isn’t as uncommon as you might think. Herbie Hancock, a giant keyboard influence in jazz and funk and one of the most sampled musicians in the world, played a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he was just 11. Keith Jarrett, another piano legend, has recorded classical organ works and written chamber music and symphonies as well as playing jazz.
Abram Wilson, trumpet player on our SoundJunction jazz piece Where Will It Take You?, has played jazz, reggae, hip hop, classical music and much more. Here are his thoughts on the classical-jazz relationship.
