Footsteps of Our Fathers

Branford Marsalis, Branford Marsalis Quartet Featuring Tenrece Blanchard | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 13, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Marsalis Music
• ASIN: B00006BHAN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,327 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Jazz Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 13-AUG-2002

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Respectful and tasteful homage--in their own voices. Rare., September 15, 2002

By 

Douglas Groothuis "Douglas Groothuis" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Footsteps of Our Fathers (Audio CD)

Mr. Marsalis and his exceptional bandmates have accomplished something fairly rare in jazz. They pay homage to four greats--Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and John Lewis--by performing their songs in the masters spirit, but without muting their own outstanding younger voices. This requires an extraordinary sensitivity to the jazz tradition as well as a mastery of one's own instrument and one's own musical conception.

Mr. Marsalis plays the Coleman piece on soprano, an interesting choice since I don't think Mr. Coleman has recorded on that demanding and expressive instrument. Marsalis lays down an Coleman sensibility without either copying or being cloying.

Next is Sonny Rollins's "The Freedom Suite," a challenging piece--sans piano. Sonny could carry a trio in his prime (and still plays well in other settings), and so can Brandford. Again, the piece is recognizibly Rollins, but distinctively Marsalis. It does not disapoint.

Brandford shows some courage in performing all four movements of a piece of jazz-sacred music (if you will), John Coltrane's, "A Love Supreme." Few have touched this since its release in 1964, although Wynton Marsalis performed the whole piece (with Elvin Jones) on NRP a few months ago. (No CD from this has been released, sadly. It was masterful.) Every movement of this extremely moving piece is, again, well within the mood and texture of Trane's original; but something new and good is added. Branford wisely does not attempt to out play Coltrane (as he makes clear in his liner notes). That would be absurd, anyway. However, Branford adds his own strengths, and at times plays more "outside" than Trane did at that period of his development (1964). Some of Brandford's playing reminds me a bit of some of Trane's supersonic runs on "Interstellar Space." That is no small achievement.

The last piece lowers the intensity, but not the tastefullness. However, I might have put "A Love Supreme" at the end of the recording. Silence is most appropriate after the original piece or after this version. Silence...

All the players shine, but, besides Branford, I particulary enjoy Jeff Watts--a very inventive, nimble, but powerful percussionist. Not many--if any--other drummers could provide the needed spark and sensitivity for "A Love Supreme," originally performed by Elvin Jones. Watts solos might even be a notch above Elvin's, since Elvin's strength, to my mind, is his time keeping more than his soloing.

The musicians responsible for this beautiful album should be contratulated. Thank you, gentleman. The musicians who inspired it should be praised as well. (Only Ornette and Sonny remain in the land of the living.) But the highest praise belongs to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, aesthetic or otherwise.

Douglas Groothuis

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bold and Beautiful, August 19, 2002

By 

A. Davis "astandavis" (Greenville, SC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Footsteps of Our Fathers (Audio CD)

Branford Marsalis has never been one to shy away from a challenge. Clearly the most adventuresome of the Marsalis brothers, Branford is bold, creative and very imaginative. His previous two Quartet recordings were evolutionary and great warm up fodder for "Footsteps of Our Fathers." Branford and company pay homage to Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane and John Lewis on this bold and beautiful testiment of Jazz. One could easily get lost in the past with these four compositions, but Brandon manages to update and modernize these classics without disrespecting their places in Jazz history. It is fun to here these masterpieces played by a modern master.

The Quartet is in top-notch form on all levels and the music flows well throughout the disc. The group chemistry is very strong and each member gets a chance to solo and show their respect to these great "Fathers". My favorite highlight is the way Jeff "Tain" Watts and Eric Revis solo during the transitions on "A Love Supreme. These guys are great musicians. Joey Calderazzo is amazing. He has great imagination and skills. Branford's touch and feel are on the money throughout this disc. He can play tenor with the best of them. His solo on "A Love Supreme" knocks me out. John Coltrane would be very proud. I would love to hear this band tackle a couple of Dexter Gordon tunes on the next CD.

There is a feeling of freedom and independence on this recording. As challenging and difficult as some of this music is to play, there is a relaxed peace vibing throughout the entire affair. If this is what we can come to expect from Branford and his new recording label, they are off to a wonderful start. Great job Branford. I can't wait to catch you live. Peace & Enjoy.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars strong playing as usual but..., January 31, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Footsteps of Our Fathers (Audio CD)

I'd have to agree with most of everyone's remarks but for one critical issue: the recording itself. Bass and drums are so pumped throughout the playing that shamefully, it almost becomes a struggle to hear the fine playing of Marsalis and Calderazzo- let's face it, though this is a quartet, they represent the polyphonic voices in the unit (NOT to slight Watts and Revis, but they are too upront in the mix at the expense of sax and piano). This time the fault lies with the production. A pity, because with the slightest adjustment on the board this could all have been avoided. Still, it kicks with a variety of moods and clear reverence for the masters of the genre, who Marsalis is assuredly and rapidly joining through his output and devotion to pure jazz.