Branford Marsalis/SNJO Scottish Tour Dates

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) directed by Tommy Smith proudly presents The Music of Wayne Shorter with very special guest Branford Marsalis

Perth, Concert Hall............27th September 2013 at 7.30 pm

Mill Street Perth PH1 5HZ 01738 621031 Online Box Office
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Glasgow, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 28th September 2013 at 7.30 pm 100 Renfrew St Glasgow G2 3DB 0141 332 4101 Online Box Office
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Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall.........29th September 2013 at 7.30 pm

85-89 Clerk St Edinburgh EH8 9JG 0131 668 2019 Online Box Office.
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(Photo by Palma Kolansky.)

This September, a confluence of the like-minded will converge in a series of Scottish concerts laden with the promise of beautiful, free-flowing jazz. Tommy Smith will astutely direct the quiet power of the SNJO through the music of Wayne Shorter, long recognized as one of the most expansive thinkers in jazz. They are joined on these dates by guest soloist, Branford Marsalis, who is widely admired as a meticulous

performer with a boldly independent train of thought.

All are capable independently of shaking our faith in what we think we know. Together, they will reclaim the term “going forward” from marketing-speak, and apply it to some of the most courageous and humane jazz music ever composed. Audiences can rightly anticipate a master-class in theory, design, execution and improvisation from award winning artists; but if anyone is going to emerge with a prize it will be the fortunate listeners in the auditoria.

Branford Marsalis needs no introduction to jazz fans who are already familiar with his family history and his remarkable career. Born into the Marsalis family that has blood ties to the heart of jazz in New Orleans, it has been his destiny (along with his father Ellis, and brothers Jason, Wynton and Delfeayo) to be a torch-bearer for this extraordinary music.

It’s a torch that lights the way into the realm of the classical and the giltzy twin empires of rock and pop. He first came to prominence with Art Blakey’s renowned Jazz Messengers, but he is also known for a long working association with Sting between 1985 and 1999. His own quartet is much feted for it’s rich, eclectic output, and a clutch of Grammys speaks to his abilities as composer. Since the turn of the millenium, he has cemented a deserved reputation as the saxophonist of choice for fresh, lyrical interpretations of classical music by composers such as Satie, Debussy, Ravel and Copland.

The task at hand is the presentation of Wayne Shorter’s range as a composer and includes works such as Footprints, Virgo, Yes or No and Speak No Evil. There ought to be little doubt that the arrangements for the SNJO will frame Shorter’s music in an affecting light. Theirs is a mission to educate, initiate and illuminate.

The craft of Branford Marsalis may be visible to anyone with a YouTube account, but it must surely be most truly felt in live performance. The music he will be playing with the SNJO has, on many occasions, been ahead of it’s time. Now it has found a home in the 21st century, and it’s ready to share it’s secrets and it’s delights.

Sponsors: Creative Scotland, Wallace Brass, Arts & Business Scotland, Amb:IT:ion, Scotland