(Cover photo by Piper Ferguson)

For me, Wynton Marsalis was a game-changer.

In the mid-eighties, my earliest forays into jazz involved electricity. Fusion and a little smooth jazz were my guides into the medium. Then my dad told me about Wynton. The first song I heard was his take on Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.” On that day, an acoustic band ripped my head off.

https://youtu.be/JsVMXCirqto?si=n5NppPoAKYOWAEwn

Things only got better from there. I was floored by Wynton’s tone. I was so clear and aggressive. You’d think he was a guitarist firing off notes through a Marshall stack. But no … this was a jazz musician. “Straight-ahead” seemed to mean straight through your skull and into the core of your being.

https://youtu.be/gTuRbRQyk20?si=9nty5U171Yp0V3C4

Wynton’s career has been long and his discography is massive. Given my pursuit of a wide variety of music, I had trouble keeping up with Wynton’s output. I dropped in where I could, and I was rarely disappointed by what I heard.

https://youtu.be/IRVL7AzSBoU?si=dj5iuDjU1eIe8i-i

Wynton and I don’t agree on everything (he despises fusion while I absolutely love it), but that doesn’t really matter. Truth is, I would love to sit down over a drink and discuss it with him. He’s only five years older than me. It would be like arguing with my big brother. But the respect will always remain.

Speaking of brothers, the Marsalis family is loaded with talented jazz musicians. You haven’t heard the last of them here. But that’s for another day.

#cirdecsongs

If you would like to have your music reviewed anytime or have your band photographed while in the Chicago (USA) area, please contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com