They switched gears seamlessly into “Fate,” a Marsalis ballad he led with a sweet-sounding alto sax. It was amazing that the band was able to seemingly flip a switch, turning off all their power and energy, and play with such quiet restraint.
Marsalis switched back to tenor sax, and they followed with an upbeat number. After finishing his opening piece, Marsalis stepped aside briefly, as he did throughout the entire night when he wasn’t playing, sitting on a stool behind Revis, enjoying himself and the music as the band’s #1 fan. It is a testament to the men’s talent, the importance of the music, and Marsalis’ ego that he can give up the center stage so easily. When saying, “Branford Marsalis Quartet,” it is apparent that the emphasis should be on the word “quartet.”
When he stepped back in, it was for a duet with the bass. The drums joined in, and Marsalis retired again. Revis took the lead and sounded fantastic. Sitting so close, you got to see that he was making sounds with his mouth that he was creating on the bass. The quartet resumed, giving way for a brilliant Watts solo, then continued. Marsalis closed out the number.
The next song opened with a bass solo. Watts came in, providing soft cymbal flourishes. Marsalis, who alternated back to alto, and Calderazzo joined in. Marsalis stepped away again and Calderazzo took the lead.
The Branford Marsalis Quartet created an outstanding night of jazz. The music was as impressive to hear as it was to watch them create it. Each piece lasted about 15 minutes, so the entire set, including the encore, ran a little over an hour. That it ended was the only disappointment.
Photos of the performance can be found at the Vault 350 website under Galleries.
They go on tour in Europe for the month of March and then to the United States. The dates are listed at Marsalis’ website.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
nice review bicho. Branford's the man in my book. he's been consistently putting out interesting music for a long time now. and that band of his is killer. i've been a fan of Watts for quite a while, going all the way back to the Black Codes... record that he did with Wynton.
2 - El Bicho
Thanks, Mark. I think the closest to your neck of the woods they get to is CT. Have you ever seen the DVD of their performance of A Love Supreme? Awesome stuff.
3 - Mark Saleski
no, i should get it tough. i do have that documentary/concert film the the cd Bloomington came out of. great stuff.
i also saw him with the Buckshot LeFonque group. that was some crazy stuff.