wynton marsalis

Wynton MarsalisJazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre Critiqued by Ben Ratliff

Ben Tyler, Jordan Young, Michal DIxon

His Life  New Orleans, Louisiana- October 18,1961  2nd of 6 sons  Invited to play with New Orleans Philharmonic at 14

 New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet, New Orleans

Community Concert Band, New Orleans Youth Orchestra, New Orleans Symphony, and a jazz band as well as a popular folk band  Attened Julliard in 1979-18 years old  Re-sparked interest in jazz with albums and original

compositions

His Music  Inspired by Miles Davis, Pianist Herbie Hancock, and

drummer Art Blakey  Bebop and classical

 Composer and band leader  Artistic director at Jazz at Lincoln Center  50 albums  Magic Hour 2004  Blood on the fields 1997  The Majesty of the Blues 1989

1998

2009

Awards  40 jazz and classical compositions  First and only artist to win grammy for jazz and classical

recordings in same year  6 grammys for jazz and 2 for classical recordings to date  5 musician of the year awards

 Pullitzer prize for oratorio Blood in the Fields  Has sold millions of records

The Show  Three Night Stand at the Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater  Marsalis’s Music  Split between quintet and Lincoln Center’s house band  Music in the style of Duke Ellington  Each Song had a story or meaning behind it

The Critique  “Mr. Marsalis can be too literal and too cute…”  Author praises before criticizing.  Shows good and bad things about the show

 Comments about how the big band is more pleasing that

his free jazz  He gives a long enough background to give the reader a

complete understanding of Marsalis.  Compares future to past