Wynton Marsalis (1961), jazz and life.
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Chosen at the end of the 20th century by the prestigious magazine “Time Magazine” among the 25 most influential people in the United States, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is one of the most respected musicians in contemporary jazz.
He was born on October 18, 1961, in New Orleans. Son of Ellis Marsalis, a pianist and jazz teacher in New Orleans, his brothers, Branford and Delfeayo, also became professional musicians. He began studying trumpet when he was 12 years old. Later he studied at the Berkshire Music Center in Tanglewood in Massachusetts, and at the Juilliard Academy in New York. Wynton Marsalis marked the eighties with his spectacular emergence on jazz stages.
Presented with great fanfare as the defender of the true jazz tradition, music promoters saw in his arrival the artist they were waiting for to deny the “death of jazz.” Elevated by some to the top of jazz and classified almost as a genius by his fans; For others, Wynton Marsalis was nothing more than a bad imitation of Miles Davis and almost an imposter of his music.
Regardless of praise and exacerbated criticism, Wynton continued on his way and at only 18 years old, he toured with the percussionist Art Blakey’s group, the “Jazz Messengers” and with the new VSOP quartet of the pianist and composer, Herbie Hancock.
In 1981, Wynton Marsalis recorded his first album as the leader of his own band for the label that made him famous: Columbia. In 1985, he recorded the album that would help him consolidate his career and confirm himself as a great jazz trumpeter: “Black Codes.” That great album would be followed by others no less extraordinary, in particular the one recorded in 1989 titled: “The Majesty of the Blues.”
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His dalliances with classical music brought him in 1993 a magnificent score for modern ballet: “City Movement.” His works at that time combined elements of classical music with original jazz improvisations. In 1993, he performed with soprano Kathleen Battle. In 1995, he was named Artistic Director of the “Jazz at Lincoln Center” program in New York.
In 1997, he was the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize in the music category with the album “Blood on the Fields”, an epic oratory about slavery. In his musical career, he has recorded nearly fifty albums – the series titled Standards Time is magnificent – he has won 9 Grammy Awards, and in his wake there have been many young jazz musicians who have looked back to reread the history of African American music, promoting a new musical perspective on the history of jazz. Wynton Marsalis is undoubtedly one of the great contemporary jazz musicians.
Wynton Marsalis official website.
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Wynton Marsalis – Jazz in Marciac 200 LIVE Concert
List of tunes:
0:00 Sheik Of Araby – Snyder 7:28 Bechet’s Fantasy – Bechet 15:11 Cake Walking Babies From Home – Williams 18:55 Summertime – Gershwin 23:25 Promenade aux Champs-Elysees – Bechet 32:10 Petite Fleur (arr. Goines) – Bechet 38:00 The Way I Ride – Nicholas 48:45 Sweet Louisiana – Bechet 52:13 Wild Cat Blues – Williams 57:02 Joe Turner Blues – Handy 1:05:41 Weary Blues – Matthews 1:13:37 Dans les rues d’Antibes – Bechet 1:20:14 Blue Horizon – Bechet 1:24:41 O When the Saints 1:31:54 Dear Sidney – Wilbur 1:36:05 Joe Turner Blues (2nd time) – Cole 1:48:00 1:49:33 Happy Birthday (Encore)
Wynton Marsalis – Music is Life (2014)
Internationally acclaimed musician, composer and bandleader, Wynton Marsalis talks about music, his mentors and the irreplaceable role of art and creativity in American culture. Part question and answer, part meditation on life, it was all magic at IdeaFestival® 2014.