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THE MARSALIS FAMILY
A Jazz Celebration (Marsalis Music/Rounder)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
I'm sure that Ellis Marsalis was tempted many times to make the move to New York that was the path to noteriety for so many of his contemporaries. But Ellis was a family man, with six kids and a wife, so he stayed at home in New Orleans, which may be the putative birthplace of jazz but was anything but a comfortable home for Ellis' progressive instincts. The tourists come for Al Hirt and Preservation Hall, not cutting edge original work, and Ellis had to make his own way, opening a club so someone would book the kind of music he wanted to play, teaching and composing.
He turned out to be one hell of a teacher. His students included names like Nicholas Payton, Donald Harrison, Terence Blanchard and Harry Connick, Jr., and they never failed to credit the source. In fact, because of his influence on so many influential young players, Ellis would have become a major figure in jazz even if four of those six kids hadn't turned out to be noteworthy players on their own.
Did I say noteworthy? Well, saxophonist Branford and trumpeter Wynton are just that - Branford and Wynton, players with instant first name recognition throughout the jazz world, and trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason are fast headed in that direction.
Ellis finally retired from his position at the University of New Orleans in 2001, and to mark the occasion (and raise money for the new jazz chair endowed in his name) the family gathered in New Orleans for a concert that was recorded for this release and filmed for a PBS schedule which debuted in February (check your local listings for the inevitable replays. This should become a pledge week perennial). They all come at jazz from different directions - Ellis the progressive musician and composer, Wynton the notorious neo-traditionalist, Branford, who has led a funk band, shared the stage with the Grateful Dead and otherwise tromped all over his brother's definition of a jazz musician, and the younger brothers, who haven't carved out such distinct public identities but are significant figures in the Young Lions school of jazz. Together, though, they made whatever adjustments were necessary and produced a wonderfully entertaining set.
Brandford's "Cain And Abel" or Ellis' "Nostalgic Impressions" might have pushed Wynton further out than he customarily goes, but he was right at home with Louis' "Struttin' With Some Barbeque," and everyone followed happily along. Ellis' famous pupil Harry Connick, Jr. sits in on piano for "Twelve's It" and hangs around to sing "Saint James Infirmary," which also features the trombone of another Marsalis student, Lucien Barbarin. Yet another former student, Roland Guerin, is the bassist throughout the set.
There was an intimidating degree of hype surrounding this event and the subsequent recording. The happy news is that the product lives up to the hype. This is the first release on Branford's new label, Marsalis Music, which is a Rounder imprint, and it's a great way to get started.
Track List:
Swinging At The Haven * The Surrey With The Fringe On Top * Wynton Speaks * Cain And Abel * Nostalgic Impressions * After * Sultry Serenade * Twelve's It * Harry Speaks * Saint James Infirmary * Struttin' With Some Barbeque
© 2003 - Shaun Dale