Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra at Royce Hall

Royce Hall is packed tonight and available tickets were in a very short supply for this group of extraordinary young players. This is the first time that I have seen the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra perform and I am quite interested to get a taste of the buzz.

Leading the band from the rear, in the trumpet section of course, was none other than the world famous, youthful, iconoclastic figure for jazz, education and the torch bearer for tradition, Mr. Wynton Marsalis. This is an orchestra with youth on its side. They are a number of young technicians that clearly are immersed in the sound, style and classical tradition of big band music.

Benny Carter, an adored composer of Wynton’s and someone who has conducted the band himself on a few occasions, is remembered with a couple of his compositions performed by the orchestra. Mary Lou Williams is another one of those composers not to be forgotten. She wrote many compositions for Duke Ellington and many others, sometimes even composing music on a paper napkin. The LCJO performs Mary’s, “Big Jim’s Blues” which was written for Harry “Big Jim” Lawson, a trumpet player in the big bands back in the 30s and 40s.

This was one of Mary’s soulful blues tunes indeed. Wynton showcases his attachment to the soul and roots of the blues as he squeals hollers and slings the sound of his horn like a brotha coming out of a bar after his woman done left him fo anotha man. Now dats da blues! He captured all of the sensibilities and emotion that I am sure that Mary expressed in her original composition.

Ron Westray’s trombone sang in the New Orleans style swingin’ blues tone with the plunger as his faithful companion. Each of these players in the LCJO seems to really love a blues. They are all sporting big smiles and having big fun as their partners in crime finish a solo.

Holding true to the tradition of the suit and tie, the LCJO looks good as Wynton expounds upon the history of each composer with grace and humor. Usually, young players come into a band to establish a name for themselves and then breakout on their own. However, many of these players already have a number of albums to their name so being a member of the LCJO is strictly for the love of the music.

Article Author: LeRoy Downs

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