Thursday, May 12, 2011



This picture was taken in 1984, shortly after a performance by Wynton Marsalis in New York City. I was nine and my brother was six, and God bless my dad for doing whatever he had to do to get our family backstage. I played the trumpet, and Wynton was an up and coming star, so it seemed like a perfect match. At the time my family was living in Connecticut, but when we moved to the D.C. area a few years later, we went to see Wynton several times at Blues Alley, and we would always go upstairs, and talk to him after his performance. One time, at my father's request, I brought my trumpet mouthpiece to the show, and Wynton allowed me to play HIS horn, and I was on cloud nine. I was in high school at the time, and I thought I was headed to jazz stardom with Wynton's help.

Just two years later, after I made the basketball team, started writing for the school newspaper, and discovered the joys of girls, I abandoned the trumpet, and I was sure I disappointed my parents and Wynton. I went to see him at Blues Alley in 1992, and I explained to him that I had given up on the trumpet, and he wasn't even mad. He said whether I played or not, the important part was that I was a jazz fan for life, and that would never go away, and he was 100% with that point.

Sadly, Wynton is big time now, so when he comes to D.C., he usually performs at the Kennedy Center (I can't blame him there), but I still miss the intimate feel of his earlier shows. When he was here in 2009, I was scheduled to meet up with him backstage, but I couldn't go to the show, because my lady (now wife) was having surgery around that time, and that was much more important, but I need to attempt to meet up with him again (and tell him to stop talking bad about all rap music).

And that picture that I started this entry with? Wynton used to carry that around in his trumpet case for years, because my brother and I represented his first young fans. So if you ever meet him, you should ask him about that picture of Rashad and Jamal he used to carry around, and he'll tell you his version of the story I'm telling you now.

8 comments:

£ said...

awesome, awesome story.

maxwellsmusze said...

that is too too cool!

Jazzbrew said...

Damn! Incredible story. You got to hear him play when he was doing some of his best stuff. Black Codes, J Moods... I'm mad jealous.

I had a chance to play for him a few years ago after one of his Kennedy Center Shows but I straight chickened out.

Neil MacLean said...

great post/story... I've been away for a bit from the blog, but I'm back!
You're a lucky kid to have gotten to see him in a small venue. I remember he came to a high school in the next town over from me growing up and my friend who plays trumpet was allowed out out school to go hear him play. I was pissed since I wasn't allowed.

Which brings me to a question, did you say you were re-learning trumpet? Possibly from jazzbrew? Or am I making that up.. hahaha.

rashad said...

Neil.
My trumpet days are long gone, but jazzbrew still holds it down...I had dreams of doing the upright bass, but I never followed thru..

Neil MacLean said...

Damn... my plan is to learn upright bass (played a bit when I was younger but never upright) and then start a band with you guys. How do you feel about the drums?

rashad said...

My hand-eye coordination is some ass..i tried playing the drums in jr. high..i looked like that guy in the Roots "What They Do" video..just going thru the motions

Neil MacLean said...

OK, we'll figure something out for you. Or we'll be the first trio made up of trumpet and two on bass.