The power of music to bring us together was on full display January 28, 2025 at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis when the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) with trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis performed in front of a full and enthusiastic audience.
For more than 90-minutes, the greatest big band in the land played music from their Cool School & Hard Bop and Bebop Revolution programs. From the start, one could tell a lot of thought and intent went into the selection of this music —10 songs total.
The world-renowned 15-member orchestra, composed of today’s finest soloists and ensemble players, sounded like a well-oiled machine. They presented masterfully arranged music, some with complex harmony and rhythms associated with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Dizzy Gillespie — all architects of the type of music known as bebop originating in the 1940s.
They ought to sound phenomenal with Marsalis leading the way. As Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni, Super Bowl LIX winner, said recently, “You cannot be great without the greatness of others.” Marsalis is the music director of the JLCO, as well as the managing and artistic director.
The PBS “Chautauqua at 150: Wynton Marsalis’ All Rise,” a documentary about Marsalis and New York’s Chautauqua Institution, aired on February 11, 2025. More at: wyntonmarsalis.org.
When Marsalis spoke, he spoke from the heart and told the diverse crowd of all ages and ethnicities, “It’s always a pleasure to be here every time.” Then the band launched into the opener, a Charlie Parker song, “Klact-Oveeseds-Tene,” beautifully arranged by multi- instrumentalist Sherman Irby. The muted trumpets on this uptempo tune, coupled with a great tenor saxophone solo by Chris Lewis, set the tone for what would follow — even more eloquence.
It was only fitting to follow-up a Charlie Parker song with a Dizzy Gillespie song; the two were always together. The Afro-Cuban tune “Guarachi Guaro” was a first set standout. The Gerald Wilson arrangement featured pianist Dan Nimmer and Obed Calvaire on the drums. The band sang well together in unison to top it off.
“Ugly Beauty,” a ballad by Thelonious Monk, featured the outstanding saxophone section. Each band member — Abdias Armenteros on tenor sax, Sherman Irby on alto sax, Alexa Tarantino on alto sax, Chris Lewis on tenor, then members of the rhythm section, Carlos Henriquez, and Nimmer on piano — stacked their genius ways.
Next up was another “Dizzy tune,” “Things to Come.” The rhythm section was on fire, and Marsalis gave an out-of-this-world trumpet solo, along with fine contributions from Armenteros on tenor sax.
“For Duke Pearson,” a commissioned composition by pianist Benny Green, sounded equally amazing with Dan Nimmer on the ivories and Carlos Henriquez on bass. Chris Crenshaw’s trombone solo was also a highlight. I saw [Benny] Green play the song during an on-demand live stream concert of the band in New York City on January 19.
Marsalis was right when he said that it was fun to hear Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” featuring lead trumpeter Ryan Kisor playing cornet with Paul Nedzela on the baritone sax. They did not disappoint.
Irby on alto sax during Wayne Shorter’s tune, “Backstage Sally,” the second set closer, capped off a joyful evening. And Calvaire’s press rolls would’ve made the revered drummer Art Blakey proud.
Robin James welcomes reader comments at jamesonjazz@spokesman-recorder.com.