Jazz Articles about Branford Marsalis

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Eternal

by John Kelman
September 23, 2004

When you hear that an artist is doing a ballad record, the first thing that comes to mind is “accessible product, commercial album for the masses." And, truth be told, some records seem to fit that description perfectly--Michael Brecker's Nearness of You: The Ballad Book , for example, sported an ace team of players but was ultimately unsatisfying featherweight music best suited as background dinner fare. This year, however, has seen two ballad albums with loftier ambitions: Joe Lovano's I'm ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Eternal

by Jim Santella
September 21, 2004

Branford Marsalis is a deeply romantic artist. His isn't the kind of Pollyanna disposition, where everything seems rosy and bright no matter what others may think. Maybe Jay Leno's viewers had that misconception. No, this Marsalis is a deep thinker who respects his relationships with others enough to consider their intellect while baring his soul. This was evident on Requiem as well as Romare Bearden Revealed , and it holds true for Eternal.

With a trio of his ...

Branford Marsalis: Eternal

by Mark F. Turner
September 9, 2004

It takes skill to perform a jazz ballad effectively. It's one thing to burn notes with rapid-fire precision, yet another to explore the intricacies of slower ones. Not only is the music a factor, but the dynamics of mood, style, and emotion also come into play. There have been many jazz ballad recordings and now one of today's foremost saxophonists, Branford Marsalis, gives his spin with Eternal. Consisting of seven compositions with unique contributions from each member ...

Branford Marsalis: The Steep Anthology

by Jim Santella
March 19, 2004

A fierce fighter as well as a gentle balladeer, Branford Marsalis makes every note count. He gets the meaning across naturally without unneeded repetition and without unnecessary embellishment. A true entertainer and a gifted artist, he communicates with his audience easily. Thus, Columbia had ample worthwhile examples to choose from for this anthology.

With his father at the piano, the saxophonist interprets “Maria” with passion and understanding. His control of the soprano instrument ranks right up there. Whether ...

Branford Marsalis: Romare Bearden Revealed

by Jim Santella
January 12, 2004

American artist Romare Howard Bearden (1911-1988) based his paintings on memories and experiences of the rural South, the urban North, and other familiar landscapes. An exhibition of his works at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, will be travelling to San Francisco, Dallas and several other key locations through April of 2005. Several of Bearden’s paintings may be found on the Internet at various locations, including the Bearden Foundation .

Branford Marsalis has created an album ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Romare Bearden: Revealed

by Mark F. Turner
November 12, 2003

The Branford Marsalis Quartet's latest release pays homage to one of America's least known but most inventive artists: Romare Bearden. The artist's central medium was collage which fused paint, clippings, paper and other materials into powerful visual works that are now on display across the country in venues such as the Smithsonian, colleges, and prestigious galleries. Born in North Carolina, Bearden moved to Harlem in 1914 where his love for jazz combined with the fertile atmosphere of artists and musicians ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet: Romare Bearden Revealed

by Nic Jones
October 8, 2003

Romare Bearden is a painter, and several of his works are featured in the CD booklet. The works reveal enough of the artist's concerns in themselves, and the music isn't a necessary complement to the works, nor yet is there anything unique about it that might readily associate it with Bearden's art.

As far as the art goes, it works as a kind of visual equivalent to Albert Murray's book Stompin' The Blues, a tome that has ...