Live at the Village Vanguard

Live at the House of Tribes Wynton Marsalis headlines this lively, Night of the Cookers-type gig, recorded in Manhattan in 2002. Joining him on the frontline is his long-time partner, alto saxophonist Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson, backed by a rhythm section featuring bassist Kengo Nakarmura, drummers Rober...	Black Codes (From the Underground) Much has been made of Wynton Marsalis's early-career emulation of the prefusion Miles Davis quintet, an obvious homage that only the most blinkered apologists have refused to ackowledge. Marsalis has accomplished so much on his own that the out-and-out tribute to the classic Dav...	Standard Time, Vol.5: The Midnight Blues Opening curiously with the classic reveler's benediction "The Party's Over," this 12-selection program of standard material finds Wynton Marsalis's buttery trumpet elegance in the superb company of Eric Reed on piano, Reginald Veal on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Augmenting thi...	From The Plantation To The Penitentiary "We running all over the world with a blunderbuss/And the Constitution all but forgot in the fuss," Wynton Marsalis declaims on "Where Y'All At?"--the raucous theatrical finale to From the Plantation to the Penitentiary. As unusual as it may be for the celebrated trumpeter to pr...	Standard Time, Vol.3: The Resolution Of Romance
Marsalis Standard Time ~ Vol.1	Standards & Ballads	Live in Swing City: Swingin with the Duke Powerfully rendered and enthusiastically received by the crowd at New York's Supper Club, this collection of Duke Ellington favorites is worthwhile for its buoyant spirit and execution. It's a session where, like most of Ellington's, multiple soloists get to sound off in a three-...	Two Men With The Blues Two Men with the Blues is no more a jazz album than a blues album. It's neither jazz returning home, nor blues wandering out. What Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis have created is a compilation of jump-blues standards with arrangements that compliment both genres. While most of ...	The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings Coltrane had only recently moved to the Impulse label when producer Bob Thiele decided to set up recording equipment for performances at the Village Vanguard in November 1961. It was a crucial period in Coltrane's artistic development, as his music assumed apocalyptic power and c...

Great Music, Great Sound, Great Price
Although Marsalis may not be on the "cutting edge" here, I hear little that is routine or pedestrian on these discs. I hear fine arrangements of jazz standards and creative original compositions (e.g., Black Codes, Citi Movement). The recordings and audio quality are excellent. I especially enjoy the sonorities provided by the 4-horn front-lines in these septets. Most of these Amazon reviews are very positive, and deservedly so. Great talents in every field always have their detractors, and Marsalis is certainly no exception. My only real "complaint" is that Wynton does talk a bit too much--he tends to do this in his live shows, but it's all in good fun, and you never feel slighted musically. I've owned these discs for several years now and still listen to them a lot.

ACCEPTABLE, POLITE & MUSHY
It's appropriate that ounce per ounce this 7 CD set is a barn burner of a value for the amount of original music provided. That said, Mr. Marsalas is the Wal-Mart of Jazz, good value of low to moderate quality items with a little bit of everything on show. Everything except intensity, improvisation any interesting playing. At best the 3 bands don't muff their parts & stay tightly focused. But I can't really take it for Jazz; every note seems preordained, laid-out in a light meaningless groove & I never feel anyone ever takes off & flies, leaving the rest of the players scrambling to catch up. Instead a well trained group of musicians provide archeological coverage of what jazz must of sounded like when it was alive. I started listening to Jazz at 11 years of age with no encouragement from anyone. My first album ever was "Monk's Dream" I still love that album today & it brings back rich memories of learning to appreciate an obscure musical dialogue. Marsalas never puts me in mind of anything more daring then a Jackie Gleason alum. Here are two examples of what I mean; the "drum solo" 10 min. in on Uptown Ruler is unbelievable pallid & of no interest. I don't like drum solos but may a good drummer has sucked me in against my will. Now the next track , "Down Home with Homey" (really that title says it all about how generic this music is) has a bass solo about 90 seconds in that sound like the guy is just plucking the strings till the ensemble comes to his rescue. Compare this to any of many Charlie Haden discs on his own or with Ornette Coleman & I think you'll see the difference between these 3 bands & what the best Jazz is like. I mean there are good moments (Wynton does a few good trumpet licks, the players strike a real groove at times) on this set, it is 7 discs, but the overall effect is really a turn-off. Even at 20 bucks it barely seems worthwhile. Three stars for value, one star for the tunes.

The great Wynton in a week
Many people, and critics, says that the best Wynton's perfomance recorded was "Live at Blues Alley"... but after when you listen this set box, your will change your opinion. I will see play to Wynton in three times ( one in septet and two with the Jazz Lincoln). Wynton with your Jazz Orchestra is very good... but in septet or octet is superb. In this set this is the kind of combo. Several tracks are played in spledid way. One o these records is ( alone) one masterpiece: the record number five. The sound is perfect: you feel stay into the Village Vanguard, and all the crew plays very ,very well, standards, or the Wynton's themes. From me is one of the best buy ( also the set is very cheap) in many time, because the music is of high voltage. And is a pleasure listen seat and very near of you to the Wynton's crew. After of listen the records ( or one session... for example) you feel that this evening, or this morning was in Village Vanguard with the group in a super sesssion of pure jazz. Please buy the set!

For the price you gotta love it. and its delectable
I know Wynton is not exploring the unknown space here but it is good old fashion good time music and its accessible. For the price it is one of the best bargains out there. Plus there will always a place for classic jazz. This is music for the heart and the roots. I went to college in New Orleans and I will always consider it my alma mater. Love Wyton and his family along with the Nevilles.

Marsalis is a Genius
This is easily the most underrated CD of all time. When I received this CD I was blown away. The solos, the leads, everything was great. Buying this 7-CD set for 30 bucks made me feel like a thief. Most people who gave this CD a bad rating can't get over what Wynton said about Miles Davis. They are both great and enjoying Marsalis doesn't take anything away from Miles Davis. Wynton Marsalis is the greatest living jazz musician and one of the best ever and he proves it with this CD. It is a must buy for all jazz fans and all trumpet players.