Customer Reviews

The Marciac Suite

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As a Francophile and longtime Wynton Marsalis fan, this cd was aural ambrosia and my favorite of the 'Swinging into the 21st Century Series.' I was fortunate enough to receive it in May as part of a Sony offer. Since then, it's been a mainstay in my cd player. The suite is a complex composition ranging from the upbeat to the romantic to much in between. As a tribute to the town of Marciac and its inhabitants, it seems to be a resounding success. Reading the liner notes and listening to the pieces, I feel as if I know something about this wonderful town in France - a must-see on my next trip there. If you've never listened to Wynton Marsalis, buy this cd. If you're like me and own everything that he's ever recorded, buy this cd. The beauty of Mr. Marsalis's magic will lighten your soul.

This is a jazz CD involving Marsalis and his septet crew which he has had played with for many years. They have good chemistry together and play with a certain freshness that pervades every track. The New Orleans jazz style comes out in Loose Duck where dissonant chords and polyrhythmic sounds keep your attention. There were also tracks like Jean-Louis Is Everywhere which sounded like Claude Debussy, a light-airy harmony with an added jazz rhythm section which turn out to be a nice piece. Also notable is Sunflowers which is a piece that is in 5/4 time and yet sounds pretty natural and it brings forth feelings of spring and optimism. That particular song was a nice song to end the album.

There was no particular theme to the style of music played in this album but has just well composed and executed songs that would appeal to an ear craving for something different from the typical jazz tune. This album celebrates the freedom of creativity and self expression. This is one of Marsalis' best albums to date.

This album remains (after four years) one of my favorite in my 300+ collection of jazz and classical. I loved it at first hearing and I still do. It takes New Orleans Jazz and Ellington as it's base and creates something entirely new--thirteen beautifully composed and rendered pieces making up a "suite" of impressions of the French town of Marciac. These melodies will remain in your head as persistently as the scent of a dozen roses.

For those new to jazz or to Marsalis, buy this. It's like stepping outside into a warm spring day after a cold, hard winter. The sun, the birds, the sky, the breeze--they're all here and are just as enveloping. For parents: if you are trying to introduce your children to jazz (or to classical music in general) this is the CD to do it with. It's easily accessible and a very happy piece of music.

Serious jazz buffs will appreciate the tight playing of the septet and the coherance of the thirteen pieces. Nicely done.

This is brilliant, wonderful music. I've never been tremendously impressed with Marsalis. But that changed once I heard a few cuts from this suite and knew I had to hear more. Everything is so tight, so moving. I really enjoyed the entire suite, and was totally knocked out by the final cut, "Sunflowers."

Marsalis may have recorded a lot of good but not great material, but this effort is outstanding.

You couldn't ask for a better introduction to the music from the man I see as the future of traditional jazz.

This recording was designed to be Wynton Marsalis' magnum opus (at least so far), recorded to celebrate a decade of appearances at the jazz festival in Marciac, France. There's not much new here, but that's exactly what you want in a recording of this type, a stroll down memory lane with the kind of complex music from a simple and small-scale ensemble where Marsalis and his wonderful trumpet can best shine.

I love this CD. It's in the rotation of the music I listen to on a day-to-day basis so often that it's become part of the soundtrack to my life. There's nothing recorded here that is not to like. The recording will help solidify Marsalis' place among the giants of the genre and foil the arguments of those who say that great jazz is no longer being recorded.

Maybe becasue I played the trumpet when I was a teen that I have been drawn to the greats like Armstrong,Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Chet Baker, Miles and Wynton Marsalis. Maybe it's the sugar that flows from that $50,000 Monette custom horn that Wynton plays. Whatever it is, this is a beauty of a CD. There is nothing that you cannot like about this. This, like some of his brother Branford's recordings and other great new artists, gives us hope and joy that there is great Jazz again being made. This deserves to be placed alongside Miles, Trane, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, Bird and the amazing Clifford Brown. It's great that we can enjoy these talented new artists for their craft along with the latest in recording technology which was not available in decades past.

Will the real Wynton Marsalis please stand up please stand upthe Marciac Suite is some of the best work that the Wynton Marsalis Septet has done in ages. There are none of the political asides or the heavy handed musicianship that has plagued his last releases. There is a joy and spirit that fills these tracks. The American Gallic flavor makes for a tasty gumbo. Recommended for all lovers of traditional jazz.

The current reigning King of Swing plays a jazz suite that evokes the echoes of his hero Ellington. I recall the elegant blues strains of Ellington's NEW ORLEANS SUITE, but with that signature Marsalis' blues horn that is all his own.

Wynton was never one to follow the fashions of current contemporary jazz. He never strays far from the roots of this music. A tasty recording by a man who continues to carry the torch in the blues and swing tradition. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL JAZZ.

ENJOY.

in 1997, Wynton Marsalis came in France for playing this 'marciac Suite' dedicated to this small town and his great Jazz Festival. It was an incredible event and all people who participate to this evening were very happy. The show has been stopped because of an Stormy weather ; Wynton decided to played for free the next day. All people asked him for recording this suite an he does in 1999, came in marciac in summer with 3000 as gift to the festival. All the volunteer get one for free (almost 600) and all people who have a ticket for his show last year returns home with an free collector given by the organisation of Festival. I meet him personnaly each year, i'm one of the volunteer and i work as driver during each summer. It's a real pleasure he considers me as one of his friend. all his staff and musician are very appreciate in Marciac.

:°)) jerome.lenoir@worldonline.fr

Marciac has always been my spiritual home in France (even before the Jazz Festival started), and so, when I heard that Wynton Marsalis had recorded a jazz tribute to the community and its jazz festival I just had to buy it.

First of all - as a "jazz record" - Marciac Suite works very well. It's tuneful and accessible, without being bubblegum jazz. The kind of stuff you can easily listen to on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

As an audio painting of Marciac, however, it is absolutely brilliant. When I listen to it, I can actually picture the places and settings that Marsallis was trying to capture. I love several of the tunes, but especicially Jean-Louis is Everywhere (4) and Guy Lafitte (10). The opening tune, Loose Duck, is humourous and enjoyable.

If you are interested, and in the region (South West France)during August. I would highly recommend going to the Marciac Jazz Festival. The music is good, the musicians are always top notch (especially considering how small the place is) and the people are warm and inviting (which is kind of un-French).