Branford Marsalis

SAXMAN, JAZZ DYNAST

What music are you currently grooving to? Beethoven String Quartets. And a lot of early jazz. I just got turned onto a singer from the early ’20s, Sara Martin. There are four volumes: volume one, she’s very strong on personality and has a big voice, by volume four she’s a very good singer of songs.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?

I don’t have one. Since I started buying records, I was convinced there was not going to be a better record than that one, until the next one. If the Trump mob sent me to a re-education camp and said, “You have to pick one record,” I’d be screwed. Last year it would have been a compilation of King Oliver and Paul Whiteman.

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?

Honky Château by Elton John, from a five-and-dime store. It’s so soulful. I became an Elton John fan immediately. He had one of the best fucking bands I’ve ever heard, and the songs are incredible. He was clearly rooted on that church-gospel thing that was very popular in New Orleans, where I’m from. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters is one of my all-time favourite songs.

Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be? Elton John!

What do you sing in the shower? I don’t participate. I’m the worst singer there is. I play music, very loudly.

What is your favourite Saturday night record?

I’ll go back to my youth for that. Elton John’s Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting; Prince, Kiss; anything off Earth Wind And Fire’s Open Our Eyes.

And your Sunday morning record? Something along the lines of the Bach Christmas Oratorio, some Billie Holiday sides, Louis Armstrong’s early music, [with] His Hot Five. Sunday’s an optimistic day for me. Definitely optimistic, and not too loud.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is available on Netflix.