There’s nothing quite like the leonine orchestral roar of horns and the full sonic range that the best bandleaders succeed in coaxing out of any top-class large ensemble.
Trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra (JLCO), has been at the forefront of preserving the legacy of big band jazz, whose antecedents over the years have included the orchestras of Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis and Maria Schneider.
This past Sunday, as part of a three-day Barbican residency, Marsalis presented the European Premiere of The Democracy! Suite, composed during the coronavirus lockdown.
Marsalis and septet performed selected compositions of the suite, allowing the spotlight to shine on Carlos Henriques’ taut bass lines, Isaiah Thompson’s dexterous piano flourishes, Alexa Tarantino’s assertive air on alto saxophone and flute (especially on “Ballot Box Bounce”) and tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis, who sounded like a young Joe Henderson during his solos.
The Democracy! Suite, poses socio-political questions couched in the language of traditional jazz. As Marsalis has stated, “The question that confronts us right now as a nation is, ‘Do we want to find a better way?’”.
The suite is as soulful as it is urgent and irrepressible, taking us to the Louisiana bayous and revisiting the birthplace of jazz in Congo Square. Half hymn and half second-line shuffle “That’s When All Will See”, featured drummer Obed Calvaire’s infectious tambourine playing.
The second half of the evening saw the full orchestra in all of its glory with Carlos Henriquez’s Bodegas Groove, (a hip-swaying bougaloo number recently featured on his A Nuyorical Tale album) and alto saxophonist/flautist Sherman Irby’s imaginative piece, Musings of Cosmic Stuff.
Notable solos came from tenor saxophonist Abdias Armenteros, trombonist Eliot Mason, trumpeters Kenny Rampton and Ryan Kisor and trombonist Chris Crenshaw.
The encore piece, Sonny Rollins’ “Tenor Madness”, saw superb ensemble support and soloing from UK-based guest musicians Joe Webb (piano), bassist Will Sach and tenor saxist Ruben Fox. Indeed, the three tenor line-up (Ruben Fox, Chris Lewis and Abdias Armenteros) recalled the storied tenor cutting sessions of Wardell Gray and Dexter Gordon.
All in all the concert was a great homage to the jazz tradition.
Set 1 – Septet
Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Chris Crenshaw, trombone
Chris Lewis, saxophones
Alexa Tarantino, saxophones
Isaiah J. Thompson, piano
Carlos Henriquez, bass
Obed Calvaire, drums
Setlist:
Part I, Be Present
Part II, Sloganize, Patronize, Realize, Revolutionize (Black Lives Matters)
Part III, Ballot Box Bounce
Part V, Deeper Than Dreams
Part VII, It Come ‘Round ‘Gin
Part VIII, That’s When All Will See
Set 2 – Full band
Personnel:
Trumpets: Wynton Marsalis, Ryan Kisor, Marcus Printup, Kenny Rampton
Trombones: Chris Crenshaw, Vincent Gardner, Elliot Mason, trombone
Reeds: Sherman Irby, Alexa Tarantino, Chris Lewis, Abdias Armenteros, Paul Nedzela
Piano: Isaiah J. Thompson
Bass: Carlos Henriquez
Drums: Obed Calvaire
Guests: Joe Webb, piano. Will Sach, bass. Ruben Fox, saxophone
Setlist:
Jo Jo’s Mojo – Marcus Printup
The Maid with the Flaccid Air – Eddie Sauter
Bodegas Groove – Carlos Henriquez
Light Blue – Thelonious Monk arr. Vincent Gardner
Musings of Cosmic Stuff + Mv. V Waltz of the Silver River – Sherman Irby
San Sue Strut (with guests)
Encore: Tenor Madness – Sonny Rollins (with guests)
One Response
It has been too many years now that I have experienced the pleasure of attending a Jazz at the Lincoln Centre Orchestra under the direction of Wynton Marsalis. If you are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend this musical event please do so. You will realize afterwards that you had participated in a historical Jazz event. The players both young and older play with such zeal and musicality that you soon realize that they appreciate their selection and perform to the top of their abilities. To these musicians solos are a god send and they put their all into their opportunity to add to the orchestral musical palette. As leader, Wynton Marsalis in my view merits Duke Ellington’s and Count Basie’s status.