Customer Reviews

The Marsalis Family

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mr. ellis marsalis is known primarily as the patriarch of one of the most gifted families jazz has ever seen. what is sometimes overlooked is that he is a master pianist in his own right who missed the spotlight by devoting himself to his family and a career educating musicians. this album is a fitting tribute to him and highlights the talent that runs in the family from start to finish. the selections run the history of modern jazz from swing to a taste of free. highlights for me were the reworking of the old standard, "surrey with the fringe on top," featuring some neat rhythmic changes and great solos by each member of the marsalis family; "cain and abel" featuring a hot interchange between wynton and branford; and a guest appearance by harry connick on "st. james infirmary" that allows the blues to shine through this chestnut. all in all this is an outstanding album of jazz featuring wonderful solos and a steady swing. that most of it comes from one family is indeed amazing. you will not be disappointed.

As a friend of the Marsalis family for 24 years and the President of Basin Street Records (where drummer and youngest son Jason Marsalis has recorded two wonderful CDs, Music in Motion, and Year of the Drummer) I have seen members of the family in all sorts of configurations.

Those of you in the dozen cities or so where the family will be performing this month and next should make sure you go out and check them out. Individually they are all great musicians...together they push each other to the top and have a lot of fun doing it.

The CD is great, the PBS special last night was fun to watch and I am looking forward to the DVD.

This has to be some kind of a miracle. Having the most celebrated family in jazz, all under one roof and jamming for the first time ever and it was recorded by Rounder Records. Let's start with Ellis on the piano and his sons Branford (saxophones), Delfeayo (trombone), Jason (drums), Wynton (trumpet), Roland Guerin (bassist)...and if that isn't enough how about Harry Connick Jr and Lucien Barbarin (trombone) as special guests. And let me tell you the sound is wonderful, terrific and awesome all at once, there isn't enough one can say about this "jazz event", superb performances from one and all.

Take your pick, every tracks is a stand out/highlight "SWINGING AT THE HAVEN", great Ellis Marsalis opening to the program ~ "THE SURREY WITH THE FRINGE ON TOP", wonderful Rodgers & Hammerstein tune, takes us into the realm wonderful jazz via Jason Marsalis ~ "CAIN & ABEL", a Branford signature composition, has his style written all over it ~ "NOSTALGIC IMPRESSIONS", this has counter harmonies you immediately appreciate, wonderful tune from Ellis ~ "AFTER", shades of Henry Mancini come floating through with another Ellis treat, melodic and beautiful just like the composer himself ~ "SULTRY SERENADE", talking about Henry Mancini, I have this recording by him, this arrangement is so reminiscent of Hank, great job by the Marsalis Family ~ "TWELVE'S IT", has classic jazz at its finest hour ~ "SAINT JAMES INFIRMARY", Harry Connick jokes with Ellis and the band, such a laid back performance, doesn't get much better than this.

My personal favorite is "STRUTTIN' WITH SOME BARBECUE", this is the best of the best from the pen of composers Lillian Hardin Armstrong and Don Raye, you can't have New Orleans Jazz without this tune, over ten minutes in length and everyone joins in the fun, gotta love it!

Total Time: 67:53 on 11 Tracks ~ Rounder/Marsalis 11661-3302-2 ~ (2/04/2003)

Celebrating Ellis' career at UNO, this concert features the Marsalis family with Roland Guerin on bass and special guest appearances by Harry Connick, Jr. as well as trombonist Lucien Barbarin. Highlights of the concert include a baaad (good) version of Steep's (Branford's) Cain and Abel. Bran and Wynton show through their collective improvisation what those who haven't listened to Dixieland music are missing. Other high points are Ellis' trio version of The Surrey With The Fringe On Top and the finale Struttin' With Some Barbecue.

I have not yet bought this cd (Im picking it up today)but, I happened to be fortunate enough to have been at this concert in person. All I have to say is that if the cd is half as good as the concert was, it will be nothing short of amazing. By far the best concert I have been to.

The Marsalis family has been responsible for some of the most fascinating jazz (and other genre) work of the last twenty + years. This first gathering, celebrating father Ellis's retirement from his teaching position is not only a loving tribute to family, but also one of the most interesting works of the last few years.
Recorded live, this disc features the family, along with guest, in various combinations, performing original material and standards. It sounds like a show for the ages, and fortunately for fans, the family will be going on tour this year.
The disc opens with two performances lead by Ellis, the midtempo "Swingin at the Haven", and a brilliant "Surrey With The Fringe On Top". Surrey lets Ellis open up on the piano, and features a wonderful drum solo by Jason Ellis, which is both free form and incredibly stylized. One of the two highlights of the set is a play-off between Wynton's trumpet and Branford's sax on the outstanding "Cain and Abel" - this track is wonderful, and allows the brothers to demonstrate why they are two of the most celebrated muscians playing today.
The other stellar track on the set is a brilliant version of "St. James' Infirmary", featuring guest appearances from Harry Connick Jr. (a student of the elder Marsalis) and trombonist Lucien Barbarian. The song, always a highlight of Connick's live sets, allows this incredible gathering of horn players to be lively and entertaining, and I always enjoy hearing new takes on this classic song.
The performance concludes with "Struttin With Some Barbeque", which is pure New Orleans style jazz, and a great closer for a wonderful recording. This song sounds as if Louis Armstrong himself is on stage with the family.
Overall this is great live jazz - while purists may dispute the contribution of the Marsalis family to modern jazz, I always enjoy the melodic playing and wonderful instrumentation of their recordings and live shows, and this package is a real treat.

Wonderful CD! It not only entertains with great jazz tunes, it gives you a peek into the Marsalis family's relationship. I purchased this CD just before the New Orleans disaster and it made it even more touching because the Marsalis family loves that city so much. I wasn't familiar with works by the whole family and this CD gives you a sample that makes you want to hear more from each of them. I was already a Wynton fan, but now I am branching out to the others. Buy this. You'll be glad you did. Just the last tune, Struttin with Some Barbecue, is worth getting it.

I really wish this was a 2 CD set. Something tells me there was much more to this concert than the CD contains....the 2 monologues (short) on the album are small windows into an extremely talented family.

What a fun listen....great jazz album by a family devoted to the art.

There's plenty of fun to be had here. So rare is the wonderful collaboration of all the musical Marsalises that when they do finally get together, it's a GAS -- as this concert demonstrates. Recorded in August 2001, "The Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration" was an event to honor Ellis Marsalis upon his retirement from the music faculty of the University of New Orleans. Their loss was our gain, for it freed family patriarch Ellis to do more gigs and make more recordings.

The concert begins with Papa Ellis in a trio with son Jason and bassist Roland Guerin. The trio grows to a quartet when eldest son Delfeayo comes in on Sultry Serenade. Branford and Wynton duke it out on Cain And Abel. Guest and former Ellis student Harry Connick Jr. joins the crowd on Caravan and St. James Infirmary (New Orleans trombonist Lucien Barbarin also joins them on the latter cut). On Swinging At The Haven, the entire family comes together at last. The result is one ***HOT*** party!

Only one problem: there's more music on the DVD than there is on the CD. Solution: get the DVD for a widescreen treat and the CD for your traveling music. You'll be glad you did.

The correct playlist for the CD is as follows:

1. Swinging At The Haven
2. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
3. Wynton speaks
4. Cain And Abel
5. Nostalgic Impressions
6. After
7. Sultry Serenade
8. Twelve's It
9. Harry speaks
10. St. James Infirmary
11. Struttin' With Some Barbecue

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I downloaded "Swingin' At The Haven" last year--and it solidified what I've known about the Marsalis family since 1990...that they are GREAT times infinity! Yes, being from New Orleans afforded me some quick access to their greatness--but now that I'm in New Mexico, I found myself craving more of their greatness! Please make the rest of this great work available for downloads! Merci Beaucoup, y'all!