Jazz Articles about Branford Marsalis

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Metamorphosen

by Jeff Stockton
May 13, 2009

Branford Marsalis has always had contrarian tendencies. From joining Sting's band to quitting The Tonight Show, he's followed his own path, even when his motivations have moved him away from conventional jazz forms. Today, being the artistic director of his own record label (at a time when record labels are floundering) and playing with the same band mates for the last decade (at a time when keeping anything together for 10 years seems unlikely) simply appear to be the next ...

Branford Marsalis Demonstrates Leadership in Richmond

by Dean Christesen
April 21, 2008

Branford Marsalis Quartet Building Leaders Symposium at St. Christopher's School Richmond, VA April 12, 1008

With legendary musicians right in front of their eyes, a field house filled with people of all ages and all musical backgrounds watched as Branford Marsalis and his quartet donned the stage. For some, this was the first jazz they had ever heard. For others, this was a rare event not to be missed. The event was a leadership ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Braggtown

by Ken Dryden
October 19, 2006

On his fourth release for his own Marsalis Music label, Branford Marsalis shows why his quartet is among the best small groups currently active. With pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Jeff “Tain Watts joining him once more, Marsalis encouraged his musicians to write for the band, resulting in a wide range of fresh material for the session. The leader's “Jack Baker is a swirling theme built from a repeated riff, while Calderazzo's poignant ballad ...

Branford Marsalis: Braggtown

by Jason Crane
September 22, 2006

From the opening anthem, called out on the unaccompanied saxophone by a swaggering Branford Marsalis, you know that Braggtown is going to be a ride. And when Jeff “Tain" Watts explodes on the cymbals a few beats later, you know the ride is going to be in a fast car on a winding mountain road. This is jazz that makes your hair stand up on the back of your neck and your head move involuntarily, pulled back and forth by ...

Branford Marsalis: Braggtown

by Jim Santella
September 13, 2006

Branford Marsalis continues to push jazz in the directions that this art should seek for eternity. Never satisfied with achievements from the past, he's determined to make things new and positive happen every time out. With Braggtown, he's on fire.

Jazz's modern mainstream fights with a furious approach. It demands that the artist remain honest about his motive. Sure, there's room in the field for many other options, but the path that holds the most promise for our ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Braggtown

by Paul Olson
September 12, 2006

There's a huge difference between live jazz performances and studio jazz recordings. Neatly concise pieces that thrill on record can feel overly cautious on the stage, and stretched-out open forms that make audiences hoarse from cheering can simply be boring on CD. That's not to say that the only good jazz recordings feature tight arrangements and brief solos. There is, however, a deep and real divide between the two presentations, and on record, less can be more.Once in ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Braggtown

by John Kelman
September 11, 2006

Sometimes the smallest germ of an idea can generate grist for extended exploration. Many of the late saxophone giant John Coltrane's compositions from the early 1960s onward were proof of that. From the opening two bars of “Jack Baker, the first track on Braggtown, it's clear that the same concept still applies. For nearly two minutes Branford Marsalis repeats the figure like a mantra, occasionally reharmonizing it, but ultimately returning back before the quartet settles into the energetic swing that ...