''Black Codes (From the Underground)'' is a 1985 album by jazz trumpeter

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Award ...

Accolades and legacy

It won two Grammy Awards in 1985: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group and

Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist The Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo has been awarded since 1959. Before 1979 the award title did not specify instrumental performances and was presented for instrumental or vocal performances. The award has had several minor name change ...

. The album was selected by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

for preservation in the

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservati ...

in 2023 describing it as one of Wynton's "most beloved & artistically successful recordings, hearkening back to midcentury acoustic jazz but with a distinctly 1980s flair".Library of Congress on Twitter: “Black Codes (From the Underground)” (1985) is considered one of @wyntonmarsalis's most beloved & artistically successful recordings, hearkening back to midcentury acoustic jazz but with a distinctly 1980s flair. #NatRecRegistry
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Track listing

Personnel

* Wynton Marsalis – trumpet * Branford Marsalis – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone *

Kenny Kirkland Kenneth David Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998) was an American pianist and keyboardist. Biography Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years ...

– piano *

Charnett Moffett Charnett Moffett (June 10, 1967 – April 11, 2022) was an American jazz bassist. Moffett began playing bass in the family band, touring the Far East in 1975 at the age of eight. In the mid-1980s, he played with Wynton Marsalis and Branford Ma ...

– double bass *

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

– drums * Ron Carter - bass on "Aural Oasis"

Technical

* Steven Epstein – producer * George Butler – executive producer * Tim Geelan – chief engineer, remix engineer *

Stanley Crouch Stanley Lawrence Crouch (December 14, 1945 – September 16, 2020) was an American poet, music and cultural critic, syndicated columnist, novelist, and biographer. He was known for his jazz criticism and his 2000 novel ''Don't the Moon Look ...

– liner notes

References

{{Authority control 1985 albums Columbia Records albums Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album Post-bop albums Wynton Marsalis albums Albums produced by George Butler (record producer) United States National Recording Registry recordings United States National Recording Registry albums