The Majesty of the Blues
Wynton Marsalis
Marcus Roberts, Dr. Michael White, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr.
Engineer: Tim Geelan,
Producer: Steve Epstein, Steven Epstein
Wounded Bird Records, 2007
1 CD
Catalogue #: WOU5091
EAN: 0664140509122
UPC: 664140509122
You save: 20%
Wynton Marsalis Sextet: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Wes Anderson (alto saxophone); Todd Williams (soprano & tenor saxophones); Marcus Roberts (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Herlin Riley (drums).
Additional personnel: Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. (spoken vocals); Teddy Riley (trumpet); Freddie Lonzo (trombone); Dr. Michael White (clarinet); Danny Barker (banjo).
Recorded at RCA Studio A, New York, New York on October 27 & 28, 1988. Includes liner notes by Stanley Crouch.
Personnel: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Dr. Michael White (clarinet); Todd Williams (saxophone); Marcus Roberts (piano); Reginald Veal (bass instrument); Herlin Riley (drums).
Wynton Marsalis is on a journey here to the center of the blues, one of the cornerstones on which American music is built. This album has less of the "sound" of a classic Miles Davis/Blue Note-era set than the feel--the inspiration--of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. The tunes are rich with thoughtful arrangements, all of which acknowledge the influence of the blues and the mix of cultures that comprise the rich musical tapestry of New Orleans. Marsalis references the growls and wails of the 1920s New Orleans brassmen (namely those of Louis Armstrong and the Ellington horn and reed sections). This is a tribute of the best sort--Marsalis reaches into the past and creates something of his own: a resonant music that reaches into the heart and soul.
Tracklist
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis is credited with almost singlehandedly ushering in the powerful neo-traditionalist jazz movement of the 1980s and '90s. Along with father Ellis and brothers Branford, Delfeayo and Jason, Wynton is a member a New Orleans musical dynasty firmly ensconced in the journals of music history. Not only does Marsalis lead various groups of his own, but he also is the musical director of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the composer of large-scale works like 1997's acclaimed "Blood on the Fields." As the most high-profile jazz musician of his era, Marsalis became a spokesman for the genre, and one of its biggest movers and shakers.
