Got to see the Lincoln Center jazz orchestra with Wynton Marsalis last night, with my three teenage sons, all of whom play jazz (and classical) about as well as I ever did or a little better (i.e., not saying much). The orchestra seem to have some new arrangements on this tour and two new singers, two very young and very talented singers. I was
so proud and thrilled to take my kids and show them some of the best and most exciting jazz in the world live! And they really loved it! One thing that I found remarkable was how Wynton Marsalis had his usual humor but deflected the praise and attention away from himself and to the members of the orchestra and seemed to make efforts not to show up the rest of the band (even if he could--they had a little group singing with four of their musicians all of whom had perfect pitch! He remarked that no one could have sung the inner parts without the benefit of perfect pitch.) Most of the musicians had more than one instrument sitting beside them, some played as many as four during the concert--flutes, bass flutes, clarinets, maybe a soprano sax, etc., in addition to the usual big-band jazz staples. I was super-happy to see this because I am always preaching to my kids about how big band jazz is not about just trumpets, saxes, trombones and a rhythm section (as they tend to restrict it in teaching it in the schools--they are just killing creativity and innovation)--that is not how jazz musicians roll. That band is so
tight and talented and expressive it's breathtaking.
Anyway, here is an older recording of theirs of Jingle Bells:
My intuition based on last night is that the band has suddenly improved over its recent past though! Here's one of the singers on tour they had last night, Veronica Swift, just
incredible, it's impossible to find anything of hers on Youtube that even remotely does her justice. She's only 24. Then again, I first saw Wynton Marsalis at a Kennedy Center jazz festival when he was only 18 (he's my age so it's been fun tracking him)! I definitely hope she gets some traction and makes it big-time. When her first CD comes out I'll buy it just to support the music. I can think of some of the newer "jazz" singers who are easy on the eyes with pretty voices but are just singing the lyrics to standards and don't seem to have anywhere near this degree of talent, musicianship or dedication. As you can see Ms. Swift can give a sultry look if she has to but that's not really what she's about.
https://www.veronicaswift.com/ (links to multiple videos). What she needs is an album with a high sound quality recording of her--just amazing. Great scat singing here:
How can she not get a recording contract? Hopefully this tour will get her to where she should be in the music world.
this Album and it sounds gorgeous. It'd be rude not to share :-
