Delfeayo Marsalis

Black history month has always been a rather dubious occasion for me. On the one hand, the accomplishments of many great Americans is not given the same importance and respect as others. On the other hand, without question these actions have equally changed and/or impacted our country’s current state. Truly the actions of individuals like Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, Louis Armstrong and Martin Luther King (to name the most obvious) would not have had the same outcome had they been birthed under different circumstances. But how these heroes and many others chose to face their adversity changed lives and altered thinking in all of America. That said, I always laugh at the results when Black History is a topic on Jeopardy!

In school we learned American history in the context of surrounding events, people and geography. Black history was reduced to a few names and dates with no real contextual background, thus making it more difficult to embrace and decreasing its value. Here in New Orleans, one of our major landmarks is named Robert E. Lee Circle, after the failed Confederate general with no real connection to the city at all. A major elementary school is named for Robert Mills Lusher, a staunch segregationist and superintendent of schools in the late 1800s–how ironic is that?!? Black History month, indeed! Let it be embraced on behalf of all Americans. Yes, through all the years of our great country’s development, black folk have contributed something. The implication, however, is that it’s a celebration of Black history, separate of the American story, which is clearly, something else.

The 33rd Annual Jazz Station Poll selected Delfeayo Marsalis as one of the top jazz artists of the year for Sweet Thunder (Troubador Jass Records).

Other artists selected include James Carter, Sonny Rollins, Mark Murphy, Ron Carter, Lalo Schifrin, Johnny Mandel, Russ Kassoff, Marcus Miller, Bill Carrothers, Daniel Smith, Phil Woods, Pat Metheny and Jane Ira Bloom.

See http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2011/12/dec.html for the original post.

Following is a translation of an article that recently appeared in All About Jazz Italia. Link to the original article is here: http://italia.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=7099

“Such a sweet thunder,” as Shakespeare describes in the words of Othello for Desdemona, and so win the beautiful Duke Ellington wanted to name the new suite (1957) dedicated to the characters of the Bard. “Such Sweet Thunder,” produced in close collaboration with Billy Strayhorn, is one of his most beautiful and is one of the most valuable results of the jazz orchestra in the twentieth century. Half a century later Delfeayo Marsalis has decided to dismiss an album that reinterprets the famous suite for a small staff and an excellent mixture of respect and innovation.
Versatile trombonist and great quality, is best known as a producer, a role which has recovered the traditional methods of recording the double bass, returning to the instrument its characteristic color and summarizing the operation in the phrase “To Obtain more wood from the bass sound , this album was recorded without usage of the dreaded bass direct “, which are printed in a lot of brothers Wynton and Branford discs. It ‘also very involved in social work, working with young people in his Uptown Music Theatre in New Orleans.

Returning to Sweet Thunder, the first thing that strikes you is the ability to capture sounds and colors Delfeayo Ellington orchestra despite having a staff that varies, but never more than nine elements. Obtains a result that those who really understood the secrets of writing ellingtoniana, the movement of the inner voices, the timbre and the games known to define the essential harmony of the Duke.

So even the most faithful to the original songs come out transformed for different balances in the body and the different personalities of the soloists. Often the assumptions, music and text, of Ellington’s compositions (and Strayhorn …) developments arise that appear very natural and convincing. Madness and power seem very stimulating Delfeayo, Victor Goines pushing (Madness in Great Ones) and Branford (Sonnet for Caesar) in exciting improvisations that SFOR at free without any sense of incogruità. Star Crossed Lovers, dialogue between Romeo and Juliet, in the original played by Johnny Hodges and Paul Gonsalves, here revived in the notes of Delfeayo and Mark Gross, with the precious support of Mulgrew Miller on piano. The grandiose opening is enhanced by blues solos of remarkable Marsalis brothers. The leader excels in steps plunger muted and faces the final Circle of fourths, a ride through all the shades, taking the place of Gonsalves and convincing in a tour de force even more impressive when given to an instrument like the trombone theory, less agile .

The meeting with the classical texts is the nature of the sons of Ellis Marsalis, Wynton witnessed by so many jobs with the Lincoln Jazz Orchestra, Foosteps of Our Fathers by Branford and now this remarkable Delfeayo Sweet Thunder.

Following is a translation of a news article about my recent gig in Germany:

“In the Spirit of New Orleans”: 800 guests enjoy jazz

With this line-up sponsored by Ehme de Reise Opticians, giant hearts of jazz lovers beat faster: On Saturday, he enchanted with the second concert highlight of the series “In the Spirit of New Orleans” 800 guests were at the sold out show at the Phaeno Science Museum. Also present: the Dancing Theatre.

Under the theme ”African Heritage at Congo Square” on Saturday, 16 top-class musicians and dancers from Africa, New Orleans performed, in Germany’s honor. Among them: Delfeayo Marsalis, trombone player and winner of the “Nea Jazz Master Awards,” Big Chief Smiley Ricks, one of the most sought after singers in Mardi Gras Indian and Gerdiken Thomas, singer, pianist and an honorary citizen of New Orleans.

“We wanted to not only offer guests an unforgettable musical experience, but also inspire with big emotions,” says de Riese. This wish was fulfilled completely.

Gerdiken, who took over the musical presentation of the evening touchedthe audience with the history of New Orleans jazz. Drums inspired the visitors to the infectious rhythms of the evening - while the artist gradually presented with brilliant solos and finally erupted a musical fireworks that culminated in Marsalis’ game. Gerdiken on Saturday handed over the 3000 dollars for a youth project in New Orleans.*

*The youth project referred to is the Uptown Music Theatre

Link to original article: http://www.waz-online.de/Wolfsburg/Wolfsburg/Stadt-Wolfsburg/800-Gaeste-erleben-Jazz-Konzert

The site http://culture.wnyc.org posts gig alerts of upcoming performances in New York City. Here is their gig alert for my performance tonight:

“Delfeayo Marsalis may be the lesser-known of the Marsalis jazz dynasty, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t play a nasty trombone. He performs at Symphony Space on Monday night. Download his “Eastern Standard Time” for free here.”

Go to http://culture.wnyc.org to access the link for a free mp3 download of my tune “Eastern Standard Time.”

The airplane trip to Taiwan was a long one indeed! Left New Orleans @ 7:45pm and arrived in L.A. 4 hours later. My boy, Richard Cornell met me @ LAX with my favorite dish, Dungeness Crab w/Black Bean sauce from CBS Seafood. (It’s mess and a lot of work to get to the crabmeat, but I’ve always loved them since I was 6 or 7 and my great aunt Marguerite used to take her time shelling out the crab from the gumbo.) Anyway, the flight to Taiwan was 14 hours and I only slept 8, but was able to get some work done on my new laptop and read some of the book Bounce, that Branford recommended to me. (More on THAT one later).

In Taipei, Candy from the festival and her friend Ella met me @ the airport and took me to the fast train to Taichung. The people are really nice and friendly for the most part as you’ll see in the video. I saw Masahiko Osaka, who rose to stardom in Japan after our recording of Musashi on King Records. He’s totally cool. I also met trumpeter Charles Tolliver and the fellas in his band that included pianist George Cables and trombonist Jason Jackson. Cables told us about hearing (and seeing) the bands of Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk’ in the 60s. These older guys will drop some information on you in a flash if you’re interested. He told me that Mingus had the only band to use organized chaos that included consistent tempo and groove changes back then or since. Hadn’t considered that, but he’s right.

Not much sleep and then we played a masterclass @ 10:30am. Band is: Myself, Preacherman Mark Gross & Wayne Escoffrey – saxes, Alexander Sipiagin – trumpet, Donald Edwards – drums, Helen Sung – piano, and Boris Koslov-bass. 5,000 people were at the gig. Mingus’ music requires technique and musicianship. It sounds best when each musician brings personal nuance to the interpretation, but the orchestrations and song forms are superb.

Right now, we’re on the way back to Taipei to play a concert hall and then I’m off to Berlin in the am.

Here is a bit on the life of one of my inspirations for Sweet Thunder: Duke and Shak, Billy Strayhorn….