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Wynton Marsalis’s ‘Spaces,’ a Kinetic Series of Zoological Portraits
The kazoos cropped up in the 10th and final movement of “Spaces,” an episodic suite by Wynton Marsalis that had its world premiere at the Rose Theater on Friday. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra was swinging light and fast as it happened, bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz-bzz, in a busy rush. It was a cute and clever flourish, in a piece titled “Bees Bees Bees.” And it was also an act of evocation that reflected the larger theme of the suite. Keep reading »
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Abyssinian Mass’ by Wynton Marsalis Review
Wynton Marsalis’s new release, “Abyssinian Mass,” is the third full-length work of a spiritual nature by the trumpeter, composer and bandleader. Compared with his epic “All Rise” (2002), the Mass, which uses the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the 70-voice Chorale Le Chateau choir, is comparatively lean and intimate, and Mr. Marsalis’s compositional ideas are much tighter. The work, which was commissioned by New York’s Abyssinian Baptist Church in 2008 for the 200th anniversary of that African-American institution, received its premiere at JALC’s Rose Hall that year, and then five years later it was taken on tour by the orchestra and recorded. It is now being issued as the fourth album from Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records. Keep reading »
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The Abyssinian Mass – Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
During the sermon section of The Abyssinian Mass, Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III welcomes congregants with a statement that is the underlying theme of the piece: “Everybody has a place in the house of God.” Keep reading »
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Wynton Marsalis’ expression of faith: ‘The Abyssinian Mass’
It’s a theme that trumpeter Wynton Marsalis has considered deeply and often in his career as composer: faith. With “The Abyssinian Mass,” a three-disc set that Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will release Friday, the composer returns to the subject, in expansive form. Keep reading »
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Wynton Marsalis teaches Wellington kids a lesson in jazz
“Be a No 1 yourself, and not a No 2 somebody else,” 750 schoolchildren shout back to jazz great Wynton Marsalis. The winner of nine Grammy Awards reminds the group what they’ve learned in the past hour. “Generosity of spirit, having good manners, learning to listen ... don’t let limitations limit you,” he says. Keep reading »
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Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony in Perth
Wynton Marsalis’ tribute to the history and players of this great music tradition is evident in his playing, choice of work, and his humble sharing of the stage. He is an internationally respected teacher and spokesperson for music education and was appointed Messenger of Peace by Kofi Annan in 2001. Keep reading »
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Marsalis brings golden jazz to town
The last time I heard a sound this golden was when the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra was in town. On Thursday night there was the same rarefied atmosphere as the sound of the iconic Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra blazed through the Perth Concert Hall. Keep reading »
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Review: Swing Symphony (Sydney Symphony Orchestra)
Engaging head and heart is a laudable goal, frequently aimed for, less than frequently achieved, and to that end programming is something of a dark art. That old black magic, however, was definitely in the air at the Sydney Opera House as Chief Conductor David Robertson started his 2016 season with a heady brew concocted out of two perfectly complementary composers: Leonard Bernstein and Wynton Marsalis. Keep reading »
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Wynton Marsalis raises the temperature with jazz on a hot summer’s night
The howling horns and visceral rhythms of Harlem’s Cotton Club got the audience’s blood pumping when one of the greatest figures in contemporary jazz, Wynton Marsalis, led his Lincoln Center band in series of concerts for Sydney Symphony Orchestra this week. On Wednesday, as a special one off, the 15-man band played two sets — one of Duke Ellington and the other music by George Gershwin. Keep reading »
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Swing Symphony review: The strings swing in Wynton Marsalis’ jazz history
Jazz, like all improvisational idioms, is a dialogue, and it is this element that Wynton Marsalis especially emphasises in his Swing Symphony – that and the rhythm implicit in the title. Marsalis’ third symphony is a seven-movement work for unamplified jazz band and orchestra, and the dialogue begins by having the 15-piece Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra embedded in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the former’s horns a nugget of gold amid the strings. Keep reading »