Live at the Village Vanguard [BOX SET] [LIVE]

Wynton Marsalis

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 7, 1999)
• Original Release Date: December 7, 1999
• Number of Discs: 7
• Format: Box set, Live
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00003A9NY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #95,377 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This stupendous seven-CD collection from the all-world trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Wynton Marsalis chronicles the amazing evolution of his underrated live septets at the legendary Village Vanguard from 1990 to 1994. Sequenced to simulate a week-long gig, the set melds together three different incarnations of Marsalis's ensemble: the gifted New Orleans-born drummer Herlin Riley, the ebullient Wessel Anderson on sopranino and alto saxes, and the fluent trombonist Wycliffe Gordon are the constants. The mercurial Marcus Roberts and the fleet-fingered Eric Reed alternate on piano, while Ben Wolfe and Reginald Veal lock it down on the bass. These selections showcase the astounding "school" of musicians that followed Marsalis's first superband with his brother, Branford Marsalis, the late Kenny Kirkland, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. Marcus Roberts's articulate lines sonically sigature his uptempto original, "The Arrival," and his solo on Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso" calls forth the soulful spirit of Monk's mentor, James P. Johnson. Eric Reed accompanies the leader with a well-traveled, harmonic magic carpet on "The Seductress" and provides some imaginative ivory ticklings on the 5/4-cadenced "Uptown Ruler," with Herlin Riley's Big Easy backbeats and Mardi Gras Indian chants. Wycliffe Gordon makes a stylistic stop in Kansas City on Count Basie's "Way Back Blues," with his territory trombone tones, and pays his dues to Tricky Sam Nanton on Duke Ellington's "Play the Blues and Go." Reginald Veals's "Brother Veal" rings with his deep sound, while Wes Anderson's Afro-Arabic "The Egyptian Blues" and Todd William's uptempo, Coltrane-like "The Cat in the Hat Is Back" display their horn and composition skills. Another Marsalis cohort, Dr. Michael White, makes a surprise appearance with his Preservation Hall clarinet on the traditional hymn "Flee as a Bird to the Mountain." Marsalis's studio recordings are revisited, from the early '80s tune "Knozz-Moe-King" to the parade pulsations of "Juba and a O'Brown Sqauw" from the 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Blood on the Fields. His encyclopedic command of the trumpet tradition is in full effect. Check out his bop-ballad renditions of "Cherokee," "Embraceable You," "Stardust," and the muted musings on the short but sweet "Bona and Paul," inspired by two character's from Jean Toomer's literary classic, Cane. Two extended compositions, the 40-minute "Citi Movement," with its aural impressions of urban life filtered through swing, ballad, and Afro-Latin forms, and the nearly hour-long jazz spiritual "In the Sweet Embrace of Life," a movement from In This House, on This Morning, are well paced for this enthusiastic crowd. With Wynton Marsalis's superb playing and leadership, along with his dowm-home introductions of Lionel Hampton, Cassandra Wilson, and Joshua Redman, this potpourri of selections does what all remote recordings are meant to do: it puts the listener at home in front of the bandstand and captures the one-of-a-kind ambience and interplay of live music making. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best value to come along in years, April 27, 2000

By	Tyler Smith (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

They're a determined lot, but I'd challenge the Wynton Marsalis naysayers to find much of anything bad to say about the trumpeter after a fair listening to this boxed set. As others have pointed out, the set is priced for the common man, a huge plus in of itself. But real value comes only if the musicians deliver the goods. Wynton and company do -- in full measure.

This set offers more than eight hours of live music. There's no opportunity to hide behind studio gimmicks, no chance to piece together the best takes from several days of sessions. And the audience is a demanding New York City crowd jammed into a jazz mecca. Not to worry. From the opening notes of "Cherokee," which kicks off Disc 1, we know that every guy in the band brought his 'A' game.

There are high points galore in the set. But several spots jump out. Try, for example, the astonishing intensity of "Pedro's Getaway" on Disc 4. Try sitting still as you listen to Victor Goins on sax and Wynton tear through the changes, kicked along by Eric Reed's insistent piano. And don't miss Wynton's great use of the mute early in the piece.

Disc 3's "Four in One," the great Monk composition is another masterpiece which gives Wynton a chance to show off his chops. Some of his detractors seem to think he indulges in technique for its own sake. Not true. "Four in One" is no shallow exhibition of runs. It's technique serving form and meaningful expression.

Throughout the set there are tributes to the greats of jazz as well, including King Oliver, Buddy Bolden (Wynton presents his interpretation of what Bolden might have sounded like), Ellington, and of course, Monk, whose work is amply represented.

Wynton was never shy about giving his bandmates plenty of space, so you'll also be treated to one of the best collection of young players to come up in the '90s, including Reed, Goins, Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Todd Williams and Wessel Anderson on saxes, Marcus Roberts on piano, and the fine drummer Herlin Riley. Each takes his cue from the leader and layers huge dollops of swing into each disc. Reed is particularly satisfying throughout.

This is life-affirming music. It's not afraid to be sad, wistful or bittersweet, but underneath it all, Wynton and friends are telling you that no matter how bad it gets, it's good to be alive and able to play and listen to jazz and the blues. Kudos to all involved in the release. It's an all-timer.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Value, December 28, 1999

By	Steven Myers (Dayton, Ohio) - See all my reviews

When I saw the low, low price, I was skeptical of what was being offered. But if it hadn't been for that low, low price, I might have missed out on an incredible listening experience. Seven discs worth of material is a lot for any listener to digest. But as soon as I started, it was like the proverbial novel that "I just couldn't put down'. Say what you want about Mr. Marsalis' views on what jazz is or shouldn't be (I haven't always agreed), he and his band deliver the live goods on every level; balancing disciplined technical virtuosity with depth of feeling and expression. Individually and collectively, this band cooks. What I like most about the program order of the "mythical" sets is the sheer variety of forms and styles. In addition to standard song forms, the material extends backwards to classic gospel and second-line feelings, and forwards to Wynton's long form compositions. The only minor complaint is the inclusion of introductions and set closers on every disc, which don't really add anything except filler, which is almost overkill given the quantity of the performance time. Hence the reduction of one star (really only half a star). In summary.....Buy this set!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a marvelous live collection, December 22, 1999

By	Rob Watkins (Augusta, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

this collection of live material from 1991 through 1994 is a great overview of mr. marsalis' septet. this is some of the purest jazz mr. marsalis has recorded, revealing not only his talent as a composer and musician, but also allowing us a glimpse of the talent he gathered in his band. wycliffe gordon (trombone), wessell anderson (alto sax), todd williams (tenor sax), eric reed (piano), marcus roberts (piano), reginald veal (bass), et al all shine throughout. lately, mr. marsalis has been experimenting and developing a music that melds together the rhythm and swing of jazz with the structure of classical, developing an idiom of jazz tone poem (albums "in this house," "citi movement," many of the releases in the "swinging into the 21st century" series). here, we hear many of those works, but in the much freer context of a jazz club performance. as you will hear on the seven intros, many of these pieces were recorded in the late, late hours a classic time frame for jazz. the band is warm and the music flows. particular highlights are "cherokee" (disc one), both performances of "stardust," "brother veal," the monk covers. the price alone makes this box set appealing. now for the gripes: a small one is the mythical arrangement into a seven night stand. i would like to hear each of the three versions of the septet recorded in their own sets, not cut and pasted together (a nitpicky complaint i know). second, i wish mr. marsalis would get a new writer of liner notes. pomposity knows no bounds! (again, a nitpicky complaint). otherwise, get the set and enjoy some of the best jazz of the year!