A Nice Pair: Kendrick Lamar + Wynton Marsalis

It’s Sunday and it’s time for A Nice Pair – book and vinyl pairings that go together like a hotly anticipated halftime show and a game with more stops than a traffic light. Today we’re pairing the latest Kendrick Lamar album, GNX, with the book To a Young Jazz Musician: Letters From the Road by Wynton Marsalis.

Kendrick will be performing at the Superbowl halftime show today in New Orleans and it’s said his music will be influenced by the city’s famous jazz heritage. GNX is his chart-topping sixth studio album and features artists such as AzChike, Dody6, Hitta J3 and SZA who will also be performing at today’s game. We currently have the Indie Exclusive blue vinyl version in stock.

Wynton Marsalis is, of course, a famous New Orleans jazz composer and musician. His book To a Young Jazz Musician is like a heartfelt chat with a mentor. He speaks about humility, patience and shares that rules are indispensable because “freedom lives in structure.” He shares his wisdom on jazz, life lessons, and the dedication it takes to truly master the art. It’s all about embracing your passion, staying true to yourself, and letting the music guide your journey.

Fun fact: Did you know that both artists are Pulitzer Prize for Music winners? Wynton won it in 1997 for his composition Blood On the Fields and it was the first time the prize was ever given for a jazz music composition, an honour that had previously been reserved for classical composers. Twenty years later, Kendrick won it for his 2017 album D.A.M.N. – the first time the award had gone to a musical work outside the genres of classical music and jazz.