Saxophonist Branford Marsalis unveiled his ambitious new project, "Buckshot LeFonque," to an enthusiastic audience at Webster Hall last night. In a concert that lasted almost three hours, Marsalis explored an incredibly diverse array of musical forms, ranging from rap and hip-hop to reggae and jazz.
In an informal discussion yesterday afternoon, Marsalis spoke about his development as a musician and a performer, detailing his stints with artists such as drummer Art Blakey, trumpeter Miles Davis and his brother, Wynton. He also spoke about the conception of "Buckshot LeFonque," explaining how it is an expression of all his musical experiences in past years.
"A lot of jazz musicians have a tendency to fall into a niche and then keep playing the same thing -- I just wanted to put together music that sounded good to me and not be repetitive.," he said. Though many critics contend that "Buckshot" is not an innovative idea, Marsalis commented that the emphasis of the music remains on jazz, with an added focus on developing the art form through other musical ideas. "My music might not sound anything like hip-hop or rap -- it is, however, influenced by it," he said.
In the liner notes of Marsalis' latest album, titled "Buckshot LeFonque," Delfeayo Marsalis writes: "It is understandable that hip-hop would have to claim and develop its own sound before turning to jazz, but in American music, jazz is unavoidable. It is Marsalis' full comprehension of form, content and structure in jazz settings that gives 'Buckshot' such an original sound."
Marsalis' musical development is as illustrious as his latest CD. Among his influences, he cites tenor saxophonists Lester Young, Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter. His sound, however, has a distinct Coltrane-esque flavor to it; the "sheets of sound" that characterized Coltrane's playing have become part and parcel of Marsalis' urgent, clear and energetic tone.
One of his first experiences in the jazz world was with Blakey. "Playing with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, I really started to develop my technical facility," he said. His agility on all three saxophones was evident in last night's concert, as he showed he was equally comfortable with playing an avant-garde Miles Davis tune like "Spanish Key" or a modern composition like "The Blackwidow Blues."
He has however, come a long way from his days with Blakey's Jazz Messengers and has matured as a musician. One of the prevalent themes in yesterday's discussion was how to approach music emotionally and sincerely, rather than mechanically.
Recently, he performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and recounted an ironic incident in which he changed the tempo of a composition, much to the surprise of other Orchestra members, simply because "it sounded better in a slower tempo."
His solid musicianship and spectacular technique put him among the top saxophonists alive today. His modesty, sincerity, and devotion to jazz put Branford Marsalis among the best jazz musicians of all time.
