Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Score) [Soundtrack]

Wynton Marsalis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 30, 2004)
• Original Release Date: January 17, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B00069YEIY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,284 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #47 in Music > Jazz > Traditional Jazz & Ragtime > Stride Piano

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What CAN'T this amazing musician do?, December 1, 2004

By 

Birdman (Minnetonka, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Score) (Audio CD)

Wynton Marsalis's, soulful, syncopated and very moving score is one of the finest jazz scores to have emerged since Duke Ellington did ANATOMY OF A MURDER. Marsalis draws on blues, dance and jazz idioms of the period conducting a small ensemble with all the right pieces and plenty of brass.

The opening cut, "What have you done?" is (not to pun, please) a knockout. It is dark, rhythmic and ominous. It prophesies the tragedy to befall Johnson in his prime. By comparison, the closer, "We'll meet again someday" speaks of Johnson's growing impotence in his fall from grace. Eric Lewis's nimble piano and Victor Goines' spicy clarinet, remind listeners the world continued to spin in the midst of Johnson's tragedy, and that the same world would continue to wreak havoc with its proprietary racism, politically condoned and socially acceptable, both now and then.

EMI's engineers deliver a crisp, natural acoustic to the proceedings. Liner note are interesting, but might have been longer, particularly the section written by Burns' colleague, Geoffrey C. Ward.

In all, the performance merits a more regal presentation, although I'm grateful we have it in any form.

A wonderful jazz soundtrack with an authentically vintage feel.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong Set Matches Subject, January 21, 2005

By 

D. Sean Brickell (gorgeous Virginia Beach, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Score) (Audio CD)

The thought occured to me whilst listening to this CD that Mr. Johnson and Mr. Marsalis share some common denomonators. Not the obvious comparisions of race and rise to the top of their respective crafts, mind you. But an inner drive and ability to enthral the masses regardless of the situation.

I admit this CD was approached with apprehension. I mean, Miles did the ultimate "Tribute to Jack Johnson" decades ago. And anyone who follows jazz in the least realizes the friction between Miles and Wynton. Why would Mr. Marsalis take such a chellenge.

Therein is the similarlity I see between him and his subject. Both men seem to perform best under the stress of a high-profile assignment. And, not dissimilar, both rose to the challenge and shine brighter than could be imagined.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars mostly a KNOCKOUT!, March 24, 2007

By 

Eduardo Nietzsche (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Score) (Audio CD)

A few of the tracks are kind of difficult to really get into, but there's plenty of rich juicy stuff here, particularly the last track "We'll Meet Again Someday." Marsalis has composed a score that justly deserves to be joined with this truly amazing documentary on a truly amazing man and boxer.