The performance by Branford Marsalis Quartet joined by Kurt Elling for the second concert in this season's Jazz Roots series at the Adrienne Arsht Center on Friday night perfectly encapsulated what jazz is about. There was no disconnect between performer and audience. It didn’t feel like the musicians owned the notes, but it felt like they were stewards for a musical presence that went beyond each as individuals.
The Branford Marsalis Quartet
The Knight Concert Hall was turned into a jazz club – like those gin-soaked joints from the 1920s. Even in the acoustically perfect auditorium it seemed like the audience was being transported back to an old timey dance hall from a different era.
The three-time Grammy winning Branford Marsalis Quartet featured Marsalis on saxophone. He was joined by Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass, and Justin Faulkner on drums. The bandleader and namesake comes from one of the most well-known jazz families. His father, Ellis, and brothers Jason, Wynton, and Delfeayo are all world-renowned in their own right. Marsalis has worked with jazz greats, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, and, as you may recall was, from 1992 to 1995, the bandleader of the "Tonight Show" Band for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. "
Branford Marsalis with Kurt Elling (Photo by Palma Kolansky)
While a night of Marsalis and his quartet would have been satisfying enough, the addition of vocalist Elling added something astounding.
Elling is lauded as one of the world’s finest jazz vocalists, and every one of his ten albums has been nominated for a Grammy. He has been named “Male Singer of the Year” eight times by the Jazz Journalists Association, and his inclusion in the Branford Marsalis Quartet has been met with great acclaim, as his lyrics and voice add an extra dimension to their music.
The five men on stage performed as if playing one instrument, taking their turns exploring musical tangents that were, what makes jazz exciting, unpredictable to say the least.
Carmen Lundy (Photo by Robert Wade)
Even the way the men interacted with each other seemed to speak to their jazz club roots. There was this casual, relaxed feel that juxtaposed the primness of a performance concert hall. Marsalis strolled across the Knight’s Hall stage joking and laughing with his bassist, Revis, and, interacted with the other musicians.
Some of the best moments of the concert were catching Marsalis and Elling off to the side of the stage, talking and surveying the sounds.
Songs like Chris Whitley’s “From One Island to Another” which is featured on the collaborations 2016 album "Upward Spiral," perfectly displayed the power of the band with Elling. The driving syncopation of the drums, coupled with Marsalis’ playing created a cacophony of sound that simply enveloped the concert hall. The sounds would reach a fever pitch, and the band would find each other at the right moment, causing a crescendo, then bring things to a slow and steady lilt, then back again.
Each song performed stood apart in its own space, occupying a different feel and mood. Sting’s “Practical Arrangement” was given levity by Elling’s inflections, and new life was breathed into Gershwin’s “There’s A Boat Dat’s Leaving Soon For New York” as the band’s quick tempoed rendition and Elling’s scatted lyrics rendered the song almost unrecognizable from its original form.
When the quartet and Elling had captured the audience and had them in the palm of their hands, the set was over. There's no doubt why Marsalis and Elling are living legends, and it was one of those magical musical nights that won't soon be forgotten.
Miami’s vocalist Carmen Lundy was the opening act, and she started off her set with “Live Out Loud,” a song from her new album "Code Noir." Lundy got her start in the 1970s in Miami, and as she said it herself, this concert represented a coming home of sorts after almost 30 years of performing. She has released 15 albums during that time period and has performed with some of Jazz’s biggest names. In 2016 she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement in Jazz Award by Black Women in Jazz and the Arts.
Lundy walked onto the stage coolly and confidently Friday night, as her band, consisting of Patrice Rushen on piano, James Genus on bass, Andrew Renfroe on guitar, and Kendrick Scott on drums, settled into "Live Out Loud." The song’s slow and smooth tempo eased the crowd into the performance, as the backdrop of the stage changed colors to suit the mood.
Lundy’s songs ran the gamut of topics, from love in “Second Sight”, to police brutality in “Black and Blue.” Every emotion was present and accounted for, and every experience described. At times her voice was sweet, while at others it was haunting, but behind each word she sung was a boldness and beauty that was undeniable.
The stand out song of her performance was “The Island, The Sea and You,” which featured tremendous drumming from Scott, and had the crowd swaying, moving, and, just about dancing in their seats.
The night was electric through and through, and seeing the modern legends of 21st century jazz – Marsalis and Elling – who stay true to the foundation of jazz was a privilege, indeed.
Next up in the series, Steve Miller and Jimmie Vaughn: From Ma Rainey to Miles Davis, a Blues Journey, with the Frost School of Music's Henry Mancini Institute Big Band and special guests Mike Flanigin, Shelly Berg and Brianna Thomas. 8 p.m. on Friday, April 7. $45 to $125. www.arshtcenter.org.
