A FOUR-PART HOME VIDEO SERIES FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
RELEASED BY SONY CLASSICAL FILM & VIDEO

Created and Hosted by the Acclaimed Trumpeter, Composer and Educator, Marsalis on Music Features Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Conductor Seiji Ozawa, The Wynton Marsalis Jazz Orchestra and The Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra

"It is my hope that children who see these programs will find it easier to make music a part of their lives in a way that is meaningful and beautiful for them. We'd like the programs to painlessly beckon our children into the magical world of music, and to help them understand some fundamental elements of music like rhythm and form and to emphasize the importance of listening to many different kinds of music, noticing how they are related, though on the surface they may seem to be different."
Wynton Marsalis

The four programs that comprise Marsalis on Music are: "Why Toes Tap: Wynton on Rhythm" (SHV 66488); "Listening for Clues: Wynton on Form" (SHV 66489); "Sousa to Satchmo: Wynton on the Jazz Band" (SHV 66490) and "Tackling the Monster: Wynton on Practice" (SHV 66312).

"Marsalis On Music" (4 VHS Tape Set) from BarnesAndNoble.com

Review - From All Movie Guide
Learning to identify the different forms of music can be difficult for children in today's MTV- and pop-saturated world. World-renowned jazz musician Wynton Marsalis uses his remarkable talents and unique teaching gifts to make learning about the classical forms of music fun and entertaining. Marsalis uses models of malls and skyscrapers and his trumpet as examples of how to identify the music of such important composers as Ellington, Gershwin, Ives, Prokofiev and more. Absolutely the finest music appreciation and instruction series for children available, this is a must-have for music teachers and school libraries. -- Heather Fierst

Marsalis On Music:
Why Toes Tap
Wynton Marsalis

Review - From All Movie Guide
Wynton Marsalis is a master of finding the right analogies to explain musical concepts in ways that are fun and educational. In Marsalis on Music: Why Toes Tap, Marsalis uses a basketball dribbling exercise, skipping, and hopping to demonstrate how rhythm and movement express emotions in music. He then uses two different versions of "The Nutcracker," Tchaikovsky's ballet and Ellington's jazz version, to illustrate how composers use and vary rhythms to convey different moods. Absolutely the finest music appreciation and instruction series for children available, this is a must-have for music teachers and school libraries. -- Heather Fierst

Review - From All Movie Guide
Musicians and performers know that practice makes perfect. In this edition of the four-part series Marsalis on Music, renowned jazz and classical musician Wynton Marsalis and cello virtuoso Yo-Yo Ma teach the young musicians of the Tanglewood School how to work out and practice difficult peices of music. The program climaxes with the two performing a fantastic duet of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo." Absolutely the finest music appreciation and instruction series for children available, this is a must-have for music teachers and school libraries. -- Heather Fierst

Review - From All Movie Guide
World-renowned jazz and classical musician Wynton Marsalis brings his expertise and unique teaching ability to children in this entertaining and educational program. In Marsalis on Music: Sousa to Satchmo, the students of the Tanglewood School, under the direction of maestro Sejii Ozawa, learn how a form of music influences another and develops into a totally new style of music. Marsalis demonstrates the evolution of modern jazz from its roots in John Phillip Sousa's marches to the ragtime of Scott Joplin through Louis Armstrong's improvisational scat. The program is highlighted by Marsalis' magical trumpet interpretations of each style. Absolutely the finest music appreciation and instruction series for children available, this is a must-have for music teachers and school libraries. -- Heather Fierst

Marsalis on Music (1995)
Wynton Marsalis, et al.
o NTSC format (US and Canada only)
o Color, Box set, NTSC
o Number of tapes: 4
o ASIN: 6303640362

Amazon Customer Review:
Marsalis on Music, from a music teacher's perspective, November 1, 1999
Reviewer: Andi, New Music Teacher from Arizona
This video series is certainly not a substitute for a sound music education, and does not promote itself as such. It focuses on the elements of jazz and jazz theory, a component that is lacking or inadequate in most of the popular music curriculums for the elementary and junior high school. I like this particular series for several reasons. First, it is something I would leave a substitute teacher because the students can watch it and there is plenty of room for discussion and practice later on. Second,as a successful African-American musician, he is a good role model for young musicians. I work with at-risk students, and have found that it is important to present them with some positive, successful role models that are culturally diverse. Finally, the presentation is attention grabbing. Marsalis has a way of communicating clearly in this series. He explains musical concepts from the simplest to some that are fairly complex in a way that is direct. There is a lot of basic music theory embedded in this series. Plus, it's more fun than lecturing, and kids seem to enjoy it as a change of pace. It's not a substitute for good teaching, but it can supplement and round out a good music education program.

"Marsalis On Music" (4 VHS Tape Set) from Amazon.com

1 - Why Toes Tap: Wynton on Rhythm (SHV 66488) from Amazon.com

2 - Listening for Clues: Wynton on Form (SHV 66489) from Amazon.com

3 - Sousa to Satchmo: Wynton on the Jazz Band (SHV 66490) from Amazon.com

4 - Tackling the Monster: Wynton on Practice (SHV 66312) from Amazon.com

Editorial Review - From Booklist
Whether Wynton Marsalis is today's reigning champion of jazz creativity or just an unimaginative technician, one thing is certain: he loves the music and is one of its most outspoken proponents. In this book, the trumpeter takes on the role of teacher and guides children, young adults, and anyone else willing to learn through the fundamentals of music and improvisation. Using examples by such composers as Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and Charles Ives, Marsalis discusses such elements as melody, rhythm, and syncopation in clear, direct language. He puts himself at the center of a lead-by-the-hand style of instruction, yet he never condescends to his audience, and, ever the disciplined pedagogue, he includes some handy tips on how to maintain a practice schedule. The compact disc that will come with the book should make Marsalis' lessons that much more enjoyable, and appropriately enough, a PBS-TV program complements the generously illustrated book. Aaron Cohen

Synopsis
A companion book to a major PBS series, airing September 1995, Marsalis on Music introduces families, children, and music-hungry readers of all ages to the joys of good music, both classical and jazz. 150 full-color and 110 black-and-white photos.

Synopsis
In the companion book to the major PBS-TV series, the acclaimed jazz trumpeter illuminates the basics of jazz and classical music through engaging anecdotes and examples, aimed at both children and adults. National ad/promo. Tour. TV tie-in.