Brandford Marsalis - Genius

I can’t deny it. I love the music of Branford Marsalis. His music moves me to no end. Because I was a saxophone player, I much more familiar with the intracacies of the horn and how difficult it can be to make it sing like Marsalis does. And Marsalis is one of the great ones in the lineage of great tenor players. He was born of the same tribe of the most proficient soloist with Coltrane and Rollins. Even with his avant-garde improvisations, arrangements and compositions he can still swing as hard as any reedman from the golden era.

I don’t own Marsalis’ entire catalog, but I will suggest that I own the best of what he has offered over the years. And this new record, Metamorphosen, will stand up next to anything else he as recorded.

Metamorphosen finds Marsalis in unusual surroundings. Meaning that for the last few years he’s been basically recording in the trio format sans piano. With this recording he’s added the piano back and is no less adventurous and astute in his improvisations as he would be in the more free jazz format. Tapped to join him on this date is Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on Bass and longtime collaborator and time keeper, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.

As an arranger, Marsalis always has a fresh new take on classic music. One of the stand out pieces is Thelonius Monk’s “Rhythm-a-ning”. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to hear the newness of this music.

Calderazzo’s piano is soothing and exciting. Revis’ bass playing is steady and Tain’s drumming and symbol work is as perfect and as interesting as it ever was. The playing on this record just seems to be personal. And to hear Brandford’s soprano, which to me is the hardest saxophone to play well, is just beautiful. All the tunes just turn into playful dialogue between the players.

From Marsalis’ work with Sting to his classical foray, Romances for Saxophone, he always puts in a better than average perfomance. I believe Metomorphosen will go down as one of the best records of this gifted reedman’s career.

Tempo, Tempo

I stood to play my solo and Mr. Hill stopped the band. He said, “Michael, can you please play the tempo we are playing instead of the one you sleep with?” I was actually playing the solo at about a half a beat slower than the band was playing the song. This little anecdote is to illustrate that I was late then, I’m late now.

So again, I haven’t been focused on keeping my blog up to date. And again, I promise to do better. The last time I had something good to write about was almost exactly a month ago and I didn’t do it. However, blog fans, I have written a couple of new critiques and I will add them soon.

Last month, the South Dallas Cultural Center restarted the 3rd Friday night monthly jam sessions. Jammin at the Center is mainstay at the cultural center and most times a lot of fun. Now, the Jam Sessions are headed by one of my most favorite sax players, Shelly Carrol. Anytime I get to hear him play, I go. And to hear him with a two drink minimum would be a treat for you too. The jam sessions start at midnight and go until three in the morning every 3rd Friday nite. And anybody wants to play gets to play. Just bring your books and your ideas and work it out with the best jazz musicians in the city.


February began the new jam sessions for the year. Shelley was on point per usual. The kickoff for the year was to pay tribute to one of Texas’ most favorite sons, Texas Tenor David “Fathead” Newman. The SDCC pulled a coup by having Newman’s son, Dino Newman to sing and play (trap) at the jam session. Dad and Dino. I’ll spare all the details since it is basically ancient history. Enjoy the pics. I’ll be back in a couple of days.


Vicki Meek is the Director of SDCC and founder of Jammin at the Center.

Better than Anything - Nnenna Freelon

Without a doubt, Tears of a Clown, as performed by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles is one of my most favorite songs ever! Its one of those timeless songs that makes me feel like I was born in the wrong space, place and time. Like, I should have been the one at the “Sock Hop” spinning the record or doing the monkey. And if you have any love, admiration or respect for Motown Records, that piano riff will always spark those emotions – bling, bling, bling, baba blingblingblingblingbling… So to hear that riff coupled with the ballad type arrangement and Nnenna Freelon’s vocal integrity makes me love that song in a new way. Unfortunately I can’t say that I feel the same way about her renditions of I Say a Little Prayer or Body and Soul. Whereas the vocals are still incredible, not all popular songs are built to be “jazzed” out. And the arrangements for these two songs left some to be desired.


Better than Anything is a compilation recording which features the best tunes from 5 of 6 discs Nnenna has recorded for Concord Records.

The title cut Better than Anything, is a driving Latin groove that never looses its movement. The thing that I love about Nnenna is that she as much and more than a lot of female vocalist never gets overtaken by the music. With or without instruments, Nnenna finds ease in taken her place as the lead in songs. She takes flight while singing over the complex yet identifiable harmonies of the mega jazz/gospel group, TAKE 6. Straighten Up & Fly Right, done acapella brings you right to a street corner in Harlem in the 40s. It’s a street corner vocal dance that would surely capture the passer-by’s attention.

The thing that is great about this record is the individuality and creativity in song choice and performance. Nnenna stretches her unlimited potential as musicians should. Most especially jazz musicians! Better than Anything is as good as anything I’ve heard so far this year. But I’ve always dug Nnenna; this just makes me want to hear more.

2009 Grammy Winners - Jazz

Here is the list of 2009 Grammy winners in all the Jazz categories. I’m always more than excited to see my favorite female vocalist, Cassandra Wilson win. “Loverly” is by far, a great record!
I can’t say, unfortunately, that any of the other records hit my radar last year. But I’ll be seeking them out.

Contemporary Jazz Album: Randy in Brasil - Randy Brecker
Jazz Vocal Album: Loverly - Cassandra Wilson
Jazz Instrumental Solo: BE-BOP - Terence Blanchard,
Jazz Instrumental Album Individual or Group: The New Crystal Silence - Chick Corea and Gary Burton
Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard - The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Latin Jazz Album: Song for Chico - Arturo O'Farrill and The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra

Jazz Pianist Allen Toussaint received 2009 Lifetime Achievement Honor. Toussaint composed hits including “Southern Nights,” “All These Things,” “Java,” “Whipped Cream,” “Mother-In-Law,” and “Working in a Coal Mine”. His collaborators are a diverse cross-section of music’s finest, including Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, the Band, Boz Scaggs, Patti LaBelle, and Bonnie Raitt. Mr. Toussaint joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Also, Hank Jones, the 90-year-old jazz pianist and composer who was awarded Congress' National Medal of Arts earlier this year.

Hank Crawford Dies at age 74 on 2/2/09

I cannot say I am very familiar with Crawford's work as a band-leader but I know through my routine readings of various liner notes that he was Ray Charles' big band leader for quite awhile.

The reason his death caught my attention is because when I was in my first Jazz/Stage band at OW Holmes Middle School - shout out Tiger Band - we played a song called Hank's Blues. Named for Crawford, it was the song that introduced me to that type of band format. And, it was the first song I ever tried to improvise too...

Talk about nostalgia...

Rest in Peace...you left your melody in the wind for us.

Jazz for President Obama: Enoch's (Inaugural) Meditation

I was in DC when I ran across this and didn't have the change to post.

Robert Glasper's tribut to our new President...yes and if you didn't vote for him, he's your President too...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99565794&sc=nl&cc=sod-20090120

Scribal's on a Quest

Today is Tuesday, January 06, 2009.

Today I begin my quest to find MY favorite Jazz Recording of the year.

I’m beginning today, of course, because Tuesday is new release day and this is the first Tuesday of 2009.

No, I’m searching for a classic. No, I’m not suggesting I will hear all the jazz music that is released this year. And no, I’m not suggesting that my choice or list will be the “be all that ends all”.

I realize that I have spent the last few years involved in revisionist history of the jazz. Spending most of my time collecting and recollecting the recordings of the giants of the genre – Miles, Mingus and Monk and so on;

So this year I’m on a quest - more of the young lions and older cubs.