Jazz
As a staunch jazz classicist and a vociferous champion of its traditions, Wynton Marsalis should seem right at home playing an album of jazz standards. And, in fact, he does. Marsalis is well suited to classic, acoustic sets, in part because of his clear, lyrical tone on the trumpet, but mostly because of his love for the music (Marsalis's aversion to avant garde, fusion, and other experimental takes on the genre is well known).
The set list of STANDARDS has many of the usual suspects, including "April in Paris," "A Foggy Day," "Django," and "Caravan." It's clear Marsalis isn't out to radically re-invent these tunes, but rather to give them classic renderings, summoning the ghost of early, acoustic post-bop with an appealing sense of balance, beauty, and technical precision.
There's something comforting about standards. They speak to and for our emotions and as a result we recognize ourselves, our souls, in these classic and timeless songs. The performances found here follow in the tradition of the greats who used the standard as a bridge into the world of jazz. Like so many interpretations before them, these recordings aim straight for the heart and never miss. And all are given the distinctive and delightful Marsalis touch. And all are given the distinctive and delightful Marsalis touch. |
