Future of Jazz Orchestra

[Mikebmiller]

Last night I went to a concert at the Charlotte Jazz Festival featuring a group called "The Future of Jazz Orchestra." Wynton Marsalis put this band together from a bunch of young Julliard players and grads, along with a few vets like Wycliffe Gordon. The bones were Wycliffe, Jeffery Miller, and Sam Chess. They did an all Ellington program.

This was one of the best big band shows I have ever seen or heard. The band was tight and incredibly dynamically subtle. They used a few mics, but most of what you heard was straight from the horn. I don't think they played an FF section the whole night. You had to really listen to appreciate what was going on. It was really nice to hear a band that didn't try to peel paint off the back wall of the hall. Wynton and Wycliffe did a few solos, but left most of the glory to the younger guys. Bravo!

[Gary]

The "Future" of Jazz Orchestra - Ellington? Typical Wynton.
That said, I'm glad you had a great time and that the program was killer.

[JohnL]

The "Future" of Jazz Orchestra - Ellington? Typical Wynton.

I suspect he's thinking more in terms of personnel than repertoire.

...a bunch of young Julliard players and grads, along with a few vets...

[AndrewMeronek]

Sounds like a lot of fun.

The really nice thing about Ellington is that he scored his charts such that they aren't the loud chop-busters like some of the stuff that came out of some of the other bands like Maynard or Kenton. It also sounds like they made sure the worst culprits in the loudness wars were kept under control. In my experience, the worst tend to be keyboard players (when playing on an electric keyboard, not an acoustic piano), followed by bass and guitar. And sound engineers who have never really listened to big band jazz. But, more often, rhythm section players who set their on-stage amps way too loud handicap the engineers.

[Mikebmiller]

Yes, "future" certainly was referring to the players.

The show was mostly acoustic. I think the piano and guitar had mics, and maybe the saxes, but the horns were just playing to the hall. It was a very nice theater.

[AndrewMeronek]

There were a couple of great sounding student competition winners at the American Trombone Workshop, too. We just need to make sure the music industry continues to support jazz so these great youngsters have careers.

[ssking2b]

Wynton, to go where all jazz has gone before. BORING

[ngrinder]

There were a couple of great sounding student competition winners at the American Trombone Workshop, too. We just need to make sure the music industry continues to support jazz so these great youngsters have careers.

This is especially prescient. For artists who are not in the mainstream, the music streaming model has been especially damaging. I feel if you have any interest in trombone and big band music, there’s even more pressure to seek out independent artists and support them.