''The Majesty of the Blues'' is an 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 ...
that was released in 1989.
Background
The first two selections on the album are played by the Wynton Marsalis Sextet.
The remaining three tracks (side B on the original LP release), a set entitled "New Orleans Function", feature the sextet with additional New Orleans musicians in a style influenced by the traditional New Orleans brass band. This section mirrors a traditional
jazz funeral
A jazz funeral is a funeral procession accompanied by a brass band, in the tradition of New Orleans, Louisiana.
History
The term "jazz funeral" was long in use by observers from elsewhere, but was generally disdained as inappropriate by most New ...
, with a dirge-like first selection ("The Death of Jazz"), then a spoken word section ("Premature Autopsies", an essay by
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 ...
performed by
Jeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Alvesta Wright Jr. (born September 22, 1941) is a pastor emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, a congregation he led for 36 years, during which its membership grew to over 8,000 parishioners. Following retirement, his be ...
) and preached like a minister at a graveyard, and a
second line number ("Oh, But on the Third Day – Happy Feet Blues").
Track listing
Personnel
The Wynton Marsalis Sextet
* Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
* Todd Williams – tenor and soprano saxophones
*
Wessell Anderson
Wessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson (born 1966) is an American jazz alto and sopranino saxophonist.
Anderson grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, and played jazz early on at the urging of his father, who was a drummer. He played in loca ...
– alto saxophone
*
Marcus Roberts
Marthaniel "Marcus" Roberts (born August 7, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and teacher.
Early life
Roberts was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. His mother was a gospel singer who had gone blind a ...
– piano
*
Reginald Veal
Reginald Veal (born November 5, 1963) is an American jazz bassist and multi-instrumentalist from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Veal grew up in New Orleans where he began piano lessons at a very early age. After receiving a bass guitar as a gift from hi ...
– double bass
*
Herlin Riley
Herlin Riley (born February 15, 1957) is an American jazz drummer and a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis.
A native of New Orleans, Riley started on the drums when he was three. He played trumpet through high ...
– drums
The New Orleans Function
Composed of the Wynton Marsalis Sextet and the following:
* Wynton Marsalis – second trumpet and plunger mute
* Teddy Riley – first trumpet
*
Freddie Lonzo
Fred Lonzo (born August 26, 1950), also known as Freddie Lonzo, is a jazz trombonist.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Lonzo is one of the most highly regarded practitioners of "tailgate" style traditional jazz trombone. His style is distinctly hi ...
– trombone
*
Michael White – clarinet
*
Danny Barker
Daniel Moses Barker (January 13, 1909 – March 13, 1994) was an American jazz musician, vocalist, and author from New Orleans. He was a rhythm guitarist for Cab Calloway, Lucky Millinder and Benny Carter during the 1930s.
One of Barker's earl ...
– banjo
Technical personnel
*
Steven Epstein – producer
*
George Butler – executive producer
* Tim Geelan – engineer
* Dennis Ferrante – assistant engineer
References
External links
"The Majesty of the Blues" on WyntonMarsalis.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Majesty of the Blues
1989 albums
Albums produced by George Butler (record producer)
Columbia Records albums
Wynton Marsalis albums