Branford Marsalis Plays Toronto Jazz festival.
Branford Makes a Rare Toronto Appearance For An Evening of Hot Jazz.
It has been quite a while since Branford Marsalis has played a full open public concert here in Toronto.
True he was here at the last IAJE Jazz Conference held here in 2008. He dropped in and played a few sets with various school outfits. He also launched his CD Eternal with a showcase at the now defunct Top Of The Senator, but a real concert. It has been a long time coming.
It is coming though. Branford Marsalis brings his quartet of ten years to this years' Toronto Jazz festival on what should be one of the hottest nights of Jazz at the Festival at Nathan Phillips Square.
That night would be July 3rd when The Dave Holland Quintet opens the evening followed by The Branford Marsalis Quartet, for jazz lovers, it doesn’t get much better than this.
That evening could also be seen as a meeting of Alumni from the Miles Davis school of jazz, both Dave and Branford have spent time in Miles’ band at differing stages and they are also connected to Davis via Herbie Hancock.; they both played with Hancock
From New Orleans To Blakey And Wynton
Branford hails from New Orleans’ leading family of Jazz the Marsalis family. With the experienced patriarch Ellis Marsalis at the helm, they have toured as a family and has recorded as a family.
Branford stared his career after studying at Southern University and the Boston’s famed Berklee College. He toured with the Art Blakey big band in the summer of 1980. A year later he was a member of the Art Blakey Jazz messengers.
His big break came when together with brother Wynton they formed what would become one of the most influential Jazz bands of the 1980’s. The band stayed together for three years from 1982 to 1985 and is credited by many writers for the resurgence of the acoustic based jazz form which in the seventies was replaced by jazz rock and jazz funk fusion bands.
Working With Legends And Creating Music On Film
While working with Wynton he managed to squeeze in a stint with Herbie Hancock’s band V.S.O.P .II in 1983 and recorded with Miles Davis on the album Decoy.
In 1985 he joined Pop Rock star Sting’s band and after a year he created his own band with pianist the late Kenny Kirkland, Bassist Bob Hurst and long time collaborator Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts on Drums.
Branford’s early recordings as a leader embraced many forms in jazz and classical music.
He went on to work in film as actor and musician. The great music he created with Terence Blanchard for Director Spike Lee jazz fable Mo’ Better Blues still stand out as one of the great movie soundtracks of all time.
In the 90’s Branford spent time as a record executive for Columbia Records and then two years as the band leader for Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. He also explored the jazz funk genre with his band Buckshot LeFonque.
That name was taken from a past jazz giant. Cannonball Adderley, who, maybe to get away from the jazz police, used that named when he recorded Soul and R& B projects.
At the end of that decade he formed the quartet that would tour and record with him throughout the 2000’s, they are celebrating their tenth anniversary this year.
Creating Marsalis Music
In 2002 Branford who was always looking for innovative ways to push the music, created his own independent label, Marsalis Music. So far the label has attracted exciting players like Miguel Zenon, who has recorded three albums on the label, Harry Connick, singer guitarist Doug Wamble and Chilean born singer Claudia Acuna.
Branford latest disc Metamorphosen is dedicated to many of his mentors and it is reflected in the music on this exquisite collection of musical work. All members of the quartet wrote for the recording which was done in two days at the Hayti Center in Durham NC. The music combines contemporary post bop and neo bop influences as Branford switches between his Tenor, Alto and Soprano saxes on various tunes.
His Soprano sax work on pianist Joey Calderazzo The Blossom of Parting is soaring, slow, sweet and adventurous. The Return of The Jitney Man a composition of drummer ‘Tain’ Watts is Jagged and quirky and a fun head shaking romp.
One could hear the influence clearly of Coltrane leaking through on the hard bop piece Jabberwocky a composition of Branford. Eric Revis’ Abe Vigoda is another brilliant ballad and they rework Thelonious Monk’s Rhythm A Ning to great perfection.
For those fans of the Branford Marsalis Quartet this is a great natural follow up to Braggtown which was released in 2006.
Branford Marsalis is in town on July 3rd at the 23rd edition of the Toronto Jazz Festival. You should not miss this opportunity to see this jazz master and his band up close and personal.
Branford Marsalis
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Metamorphosen
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