The String Quartet No.1, “At the Octoroon Balls,” is an experiment. To his credit, Marsalis does not seem at all cowed by the quartet tradition: he approaches the setting as a vector for his compositional instincts. There are few surprises here-nor any stylistic peccadilloes. The Orion String Quartet does an admirable job of finding the composer’s rhythmic intent. Though the liner notes would evoke “Bartok in the Delta,” it is the Bartok of Microcosmos, not of the String Quartets. Having said that, there is no mistaking this for any other string quartet composed in the jazz idiom. Marsalis similarly infuses “A Fiddler’s Tale Suite” with his musical personality, hosting Stravinsky and the influence of “L’Histoire du Soldat” as well as Ellington.
Wynton Marsalis: At the Octoroon Balls-String Quartet #1
JazzTimes may earn a small commission if you buy something using one of the retail links in our articles. JazzTimes does not accept money for any editorial recommendations. Read more about our policy here. Thanks for supporting JazzTimes.
