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Live at the Village Vanguard |
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| Styles: |
Jazz - Labels - Sony - Mainstream - Trumpet |
| Media: |
Audio CD |
| Features: |
Box set |
| Release Date: |
28 February 2000 |
| Label: |
Sony Jazz |
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| Amazon Sales Ranking: |
24152 |
| Number of Discs: |
8 |
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Description |
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Some day, the Wynton Marsalis Septet will be recognised as one of the classic small bands of jazz, and this mammoth eight-CD box will be counted amongits best work. Recorded over the course of three residencies at New York's oldest jazz club, between 1990 and 1994, the music is not only impressive, it is immensely enjoyable. The discs are so packed with variety that you can repeatedlydip in and out and come up with a fresh surprise each time. One of Marsalis's great aims has been to bring back into contemporary jazz those elements thathave distinguished jazz from all other forms of music, and somehow seemed to get lost along the way: the muted effects, the growls and half-valves, the catchy riffs and good, straight-down-the line swing. For the Septet, Marsalis found players who not only understood what he was after but could actually do all these things. Musicians like trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, saxophonist and clarinettist Victor Goines, pianist Eric Reed and drummer Herlin Riley prove here that they were equal to the task of building a contemporary jazz that contained within it the whole history of the music. So, among these eight discs you will find bebop and New Orleans marches, romantic ballads and down-home blues, echoes of Duke Ellington, King Oliver and Miles Davis--not exact copies but enough of the original sound and spirit to bring the music bursting into life. Don't be put off by the size and bulk of this box; there's so much to hear that it will keep you happy for years.--Dave Gelly |
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Customer Reviews |
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In The Sweet Embrace Of Marsalis |
Rating: 5.0 |
Wynton Marsalis may not be what you would call an original in the world of jazz music. However,when it comes to getting his chops on a trumpet there is nobody better in the world today.He plays with total feeling in a technically expert way that is breathtaking. On this album ,recorded with three different bands at New York's Village Vanguard in the 1990's,Marsalis tackles a whole wealth of different styles and compositions.As well as his own tunes he does his versions of pieces by Monk and Ellington and also strolls through several jazz standards. The supporting musicians are fantastic throughout and the format of the recordings gives a real jazz club atmosphere.It is not short being a seven CD box set but the whole package is such a rich entity that you wish it was a ten CD box set and beyond.The price is great value for this seven CD set which is an ideal showcase for Wynton's music. Jazz critics often accuse Marsalis of being 'retro' and say he is just playing an old,copied version of the music from decades ago.If that is the case then it is fine by me as it is superb to listen to whatever the motives behind it.Before Wynton's arrival, jazz was going down the road of jazz-rock fusion. It wasn't jazz and it wasn't rock. It wasn't one thing or the other. When Wynton came along,much of the artistic values of the music were restored and jazz became its own thing again. This gave an opportunity for musicians like Christian McBride, Joshua Redman and our own Courtney Pine, a stage and setting to be seen and appreciated. Too often critics have tried to intellectualise jazz music but really it is simple. If it has a groove, it's good and Wynton Marsalis has grooves aplenty. |
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A wonderful listening experience in every way |
Rating: 5.0 |
I hope this set will go down as Wynton Marsalis's masterpiece. Just listen to the two versions of "Stardust", and the rhythm section swinging on tracks such as "Down Home with Homey "and "Pedro's Getaway". This is just great jazz music which I think is unmissable if you're into jazz. The trumpet is played with breathtaking expression, tone and phrasing on every track. People will inevitably find faults in this set, but if you get involved with the music it is hard not to appreciate the sheer joy of playing which the septet communicate. Enjoy it with them! |
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Buy this now! |
Rating: 5.0 |
This is a fantastic collection of live music from Wynton Marsalis and his septet, which covers several years of appearances at the Village Vanguard. It's also superb value for money for 7 CDs. Marsalis fans will recognise many of the tunes from his earlier albums (the rendition of "Citi Movement" is particularly noteworthy). The performances from all the musicians are absolutely first-class. This is a really great CD that will be enjoyed by any Marsalis fan, and for those who are new to his music it's a great place to start. |
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