Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone); Ellis Marsalis Jr. (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Ralph Peterson (drums) + Christian O'Neill Diaz (vocal); Madison George (drums).
(Review by Lance).
We don't get many trombone-led quartet CDs for review so when one does come along it's a cause for celebration - particularly when it's as masterly a performance as this.
But after all, why shouldn't it be? It involves two members of the Marsalis clan - Ellis Marsalis Junior on piano and one of his younger sons on trombone.
Delfeayo incorporates the many facets of his instrument's capabilities. Dirty, down-home blues, growling glissandos and smears interspersed with an almost Dorsey-like smoothness as well as the occasional rapid-fire salvo so beloved of more contemporary players. Delfeayo isn't one to be pigeonholed, he's a man for all seasons - he swings no matter what the tempo.
His Dad is no mean swinger either. Ellis has a solo feature on If I Were a Bell - no old-timer he! If I were to mount a small criticism it's his tendency to overdo the quotes. However, he does it so tastefully and live audiences do like a quote, particularly if their neighbour doesn't recognise it as such! It allows them a superior smirk and to whisper out of the side of their mouth "Rose of Washington Square".
From time to time, Veal pops up from the 'bassment' whilst Peterson justifies the prefix in the blurb as 'Mighty'.
The show was seemingly over after It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing but of course it wasn't. Delfeayo invited any musicians from West Michigan University present to come up and jam. Only two picked up the invitation - Christian O'Neill Diaz and Madison George. Diaz scatted an ad-lib blues they called Blue Kalamazoo with Delfeayo doing a bit of paint-stripping whilst George thumped the tubs and spurred them on in this 12/8 blues.
To see it out, the quartet signed off with Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? - I do now although I've never been there!
Lance.
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