Opening with lively Jackie McLean 1961 Blue Note Jackie’s Bag classic ‘Appointment in Ghana’ followed by plangent Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz To Come 1959 ballad ‘Lonely Woman’, arrangements are by Wynton Marsalis. Less familiar is what comes next Moacir Santos’ ‘Lemurianos’. The Brazilian composer died in 2006 and this piece known too as ‘The Lemurians’ was first released on his album Choros & Alegria in 2005.
An album full of far more familiar fare, Monk’s waltz time rarity ‘Ugly Beauty’ and John Coltrane’s ‘Giant Steps’ come next. I don’t know Jelly Roll Morton’s ‘The Pearls’ much – the trad jazz choice of the whole thing – which turns out to be the most fun of the album. Wynton did it years ago on late-1990s release Mr Jelly Lord which is even better.
Also good is the treatment of Dave Brubeck’s ‘Bluette’ which goes back to the Brubeck Quartet 1961 album Time Further Out.
What else? There’s Chick Corea’s ‘Humpty Dumpty’, Wayne Shorter’s ‘Infant Eyes’ and a tremendous 15 minute plus version of Bud Powell’s ‘Un Poco Loco’ a tune that goes back to a 1951 recording.
With Wynton are trumpeters Ryan Kisor, Kenny Rampton, Marcus Printup; trombonists Vincent Gardner, Chris Crenshaw, Elliot Mason; saxophonists Sherman Irby, Veronica Leahy, Chris Lewis, Abdias Armenteros, Paul Nedzela; pianist Dan Nimmer; bassist Carlos Henriquez; and drummer Obed Calvaire.
It’s a live album recorded at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s home in New York the Frederick P. Rose Hall on 17-19 September 2026. What a fine way – spanning lots of styles from trad to Brazilian music, bebop and the avant garde – to salute Wynton as he bows out as the orchestra’s leader. Its release follows on from another essential release this year from JALCO – We The People – reviewed above.
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