Track Listing

1. I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue
2. Jungle Blues
3. Seabreeze
4. J Mood
5. B's Paris Blues
6. Autumn Lamp
7. Steppin' On The Blues
8. Laughin' & Talkin' (with Higg)
9. Carolina Shout

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #157688 in Music
• Released on: 2003-09-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Customer Reviews

Sweet Slow Swing and some Blues
Why did Branford Marsalis make this record? Because he was asked to do so as part of a retrospective on the artist Romare Bearden and the music that influenced him. That being said, this record, while obviously different in nature than the last several outings by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, is an excellent record that features some of the greatest playing and deepest understanding of the tradition in recent history.

The tunes on this outing are extremely well-chosen and contrary to what other reviewers would have you believe, not a single one of them is part of the mainstream jazz repertoire. They are fresh takes on several original songs, a few old forgotten songs, and several contemporary metrically intricate songs contributed by Jeff "Tain" Watts and Wynton Marsalis. Some are of the belief that emulating bands of the 60s and 70s is "modern" but that revisiting music of the prebop era is old, hackneyed and makes one a "neoclassicist" or one of several other phrases used by critics who have decided to accept foolishness over reality and join the anti-Marsalis family bandwagon.

The playing on this record is some of the finest to date from these brilliant musicians, not only on the first two tracks but also on "J Mood" and Laughin and "Talkin (With Billy Higgins)," which the two negative reviewers must not have listened to. Branford should be applauded for having the integrity to deal with some exceptionally difficult music (both artistically and technically. As an aspiring jazz musician, I can say with some degree of authority that learning to play early swing music well is an inconcievably difficult task. The nuance, phrasing and melodic vocabulary that these men possess is nothing short of astounding and to dismiss such attempts to embrace the tradition of the great American art form that is jazz and blues music is merely the product of ignorance.

For those who have been sold blindly on the idea that the Marsalis family is comprised entirely of nostolgiac men who lack an abiltiy to create contemporary music, I have some suggestions. Buy Wynton Marsalis' "Black Codes"(You will hear that Wynton was doing 20 years ago much of what musicians like Dave Douglas are being celebrated for today). Buy Branford's aptly titled record, "Contemporary Jazz" (wink). It features free music, metrically complex music, and a couple of gorgeous ballads. If you like what you hear, Branford's "Requiem" and Wynton's groundbreaking "Blood on the Fields" are exceptional records.

All said, buy this record, the music speaks for itself.

badness
This will be short. It is worth the price of this album just to hear the Branford and Harry Connick Jr. duet Carolina Shout. That being said, all of the other tracks on this album are excellent. From Jungle Blues to Doug Wamble's solo guitar on Autumn Lamp, with this record you get a pile of blues and at the same time gain an appreciation for Romare Breaden's art. A must have. Branford keeps outdoing himself.

4 stars
I find much of the debate raging here quite ideological in nature. Let's listen to the music. And this in many ways seems to go more into the direction of some of Branford's older recordings, and Wynton has a strong impact on this session, it seems. So for those who cherish that, this CD is an asset. For those, however, who rather look for something like Branford's more recent stuff, this CD will be a disappointment. Characteristically, you'll find just one original composition by Branford (and he definitely has written more convincing pieces). Some more words. The CD has much blues, and some of Wynton's performances are just great. The interpretation of J Mood, for instance, is marvellous. The appearance of Doug Wamble on the guitar (he also has a solo number) is quite refreshing. To conclude, I find that this is a strong CD, but not necessarily a step forward, nor the best that Branford Marsalis has ever made (but he also produced some worse albums).