Wynton Marsalis - Standards & Ballads

Several aspects of Wynton Marsalis’ rise to fame continue to be unprecedented, i.e. his simultaneous deals on Columbia’s jazz and classical roster, numerous Grammy Awards in both fields, a Pulitzer Prize, and his prominence in the jazz world as a Young Lion and champion of the new traditionalism that permeated jazz circles in the early 80s and beyond. He continues to exert a decisive impact on the future of jazz and its budding stars and is perhaps even more influential today now that his repertoire has expanded to highlight his role as a composer, educator, and as Artistic Director of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. During the 80s, Marsalis released MARSALIS STANDARD TIME Vol. 1, which launched his infamous STANDARD TIME series that followed such great hits as THINK OF ONE and HOT HOUSE FLOWERS. The 5 volume series featured exquisite interpretations of Great American Songbook standards and many original Marsalis compositions. This compilation – STANDARDS & BALLADS – features many of those excellent songs as well as two of Marsalis’ own – “The Seductress,” and “Spring Yaoundé.” The compilation opens with Louis Armstrong’s theme song, “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South,” which was originally released on STANDARD TIME Vol. 2: Intimacy Calling. Marsalis permeates an unhurried blues, ambling, sleepy feeling throughout the song via a bucket mute and is accompanied by Marcus Roberts on piano, Reginald Veal on bass and Herlin Riley on drums. One listen to his technical virtuosity on “After You’ve Gone,” will make you a life-long believer in Marsalis’ genius. Accompanied by a sweet string orchestra, Eric Scott Reed on piano, Reginald Veal on bass and Lewis Nash on drums, this song was originally released on the impeccable STANDARD TIME Vol. 5 – The Midnight Blues. By contrast, “The Seductress” is a return to his roots duet piece on which his father Ellis Marsalis replaces the polyrhythmic sound of Marcus Roberts heard on “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” with a more traditional approach to the piano. This song features the rootsy, blues- laden, muted trumpeting and vocals of Marsalis interpreting the imagery of a seductive muse. Short and sweet, this song also enables the listener to imagine Marsalis’ moody composition on a soundtrack or score for cinema, television, theatre or dance or as a backdrop for paintings and literature. Other important songs include “I Can’t Get Started” featuring vocalist Shirley Horn, “Melancholia” featuring Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Ron Carter and of course, “Embraceable You.” Wynton Marsalis is a master and with this compilation, the master returns you, dear listener, to the peaks of his forward thinking periods that brought traditional jazz back to a vibrant place in musical history.
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