ln praise of Woody, Wynton and more
JazzTimes, in association with Ropeadope Records and Shure, is pleased to announce the second season of Speakin’ My Piece, an online video series hosted by … Read More “Speakin’ My Piece / Jazz in Europe with Dekel Bor – Season 2″
A fine line separates old school from old hat, and Delfeayo Marsalis’ The Last Southern Gentlemen dances that line from beginning to end. The album is styled as a throwback, its languid mood and program of time-worn chestnuts meant to conjure, as the trombonist states in his liner notes, an era “when men were gentlemen.” Unfortunately, the result, despite some moments of inspiration, has an antiquated feel that warrants only a cursory listen.
The musicianship is not at issue, with the quartet members all contributing strong work. Marsalis’ rounded tone exudes wistful emotion on “Nancy (With the Laughing Face),” and his muted wah-wah effects grant the band’s take on the Sesame Street theme a wonky playfulness. Bassist John Clayton weaves pensive phrases on “I’m Confessin’,” and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith breaks out the bongos to give “But Beautiful” a Latin-tinged essence. Pianist Ellis Marsalis’ minor-keyed harmonics lend tension to Delfeayo’s composition “The Secret Love Affair,” and when the trombonist lays out on “If I Were a Bell,” the senior Marsalis rises to the occasion with a fast-paced take on Frank Loesser’s melody.
Jonathan Butler’s optimistic music belies a dirt-poor childhood growing up in a South Africa segregated by apartheid. Live in South Africa, a new CD and DVD package, presents a sense of the resulting inner turmoil, mixed with dogged resolve, that paved the way to his status as an icon in his country and successful musician outside of it. Looking back, the 46-year-old Butler says today, the driving forces that led to his overcoming apartheid-the formal policy of racial separation and economic discrimination finally dismantled in 1993-were family, faith and abundant talent.
“When we were kids, our parents never talked about the ANC [African National Congress] or Nelson Mandela,” he says. Butler was raised as the youngest child in a large family. They lived in a house patched together by corrugated tin and cardboard, in the “coloreds only” township of Athlone near Cape Town. “They never talked about struggles so we never knew what was happening.”
A Recently Discovered Live Recording Featuring Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane Sheds Light on Their Relationship.
Lewis Porter on the newly discovered Carnegie Hall concert featuring Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane.
Fifty years ago, a United States Senator named John F. Kennedy delivered a speech to mark the first anniversary of a Hungarian student uprising against … Read More “The Gig: Haynes, His Way”
He’s best known as a vibraphonist, but Warren Wolf is also adept at several other instruments, including marimba, piano, and drums. Join us as Wolf … Read More “Before & After with Warren Wolf”
The Global Music Venue Jazz Fest brings together (virtually) some of the world’s most inspiring artists while providing rich learning experiences for students interested in … Read More “Global Music Venue Jazz Fest”
Monthly conversations with jazz experts and observers on the ins and outs of the ever-changing industry. Industry Insider 9: Michael Lazaroff The next live JazzTimes … Read More “Industry Insider Conversations”
