Blog
Jul 28, 2016
Upward Spiral: Great riches to be found
A good move on both Marsalis' and Elling's part – I think both needed this kind of stimulus The quartet is completed by Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on bass and Justin Faulkner on drums The programme is a rich and varied...
Jul 25, 2016
Upward Spiral: Brilliantly cohesive
How did one of the best and most important jazz bands around — saxophonist Branford Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner — come to unite with one of the best and most important jazz...
Jul 07, 2016
Review: Branford Marsalis Quartet Upward Spiral
Branford Marsalis was born in Breaux Bridge, La the son of Dolores and Ellis Marsalis His father is a notable pianist and the leading musical educator in New Orleans In 1995 saxophonist Branford recorded "Loved Ones" with his father Ellis He...
Jun 30, 2016
Upward Spiral: Elling & Marsalis communicating through song
Titans of modern jazz in their own rights, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and vocalist Kurt Elling bring their immense strengths together on their sophisticated and nuanced collaboration, 2016's Upward Spiral Perhaps not the first time...
Jun 29, 2016
Hier soir à Paris… Kurt Elling et Branford Marsalis
[For English, please put this text into Google Translate or Bing Translator] Hier et avant-hier soir, le «All Stars Festival» annuel du New Morning débutait avec les très attendus Kurt Elling et Branford Marsalis...
Jun 28, 2016
Raves: Branford Marsalis Quartet with Kurt Elling – Upward Spiral
A collaboration between an established bandleader and band with an established singer is something that harkens back to a bygone musical age The teaming of the Branford Marsalis Quartet and singer Kurt Elling is one of those rare and special...
Jun 15, 2016
Kurt Elling returns ‘home’ for performance in Hyde Park
Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Kurt Elling gave an electrifying performance at the Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E 60th St, Sunday, June 12 The performance was part of the annual N'DIGO Foundation Gala, an event that raises funds to...
Jun 09, 2016
Listening Post: Kurt Elling Meets the Branford Marsalis Quartet
Not merely a great meeting of a jazz vocalist and instrumentalist but a full and marvelous return to form for two huge jazz figures who've done some fruitless wandering of late It was, I suppose, an interesting idea for Branford Marsalis...
Jun 04, 2016
Kurt Elling review: Dazzling skills stay one step back from the cliff edge
The moment came in Skylark The almost relentlessly buzzing imagination and invention fell away as Gary Versace began a piano solo so soft, so sparse and so fragile that Ulysses Owens stopped playing the drums altogether and Clark Sommers...
Jun 02, 2016
Music Review: Branford Marsalis Quartet with Special Guest Kurt Elling – Upward Spiral
As explained in the notes on the Branford Marsalis Quartet's album Upward Spiral (featuring Kurt Elling), this is truly a collaborative effort Everything about the album, from the instrumental musicians' desire to work with a...
May 31, 2016
Offbeat Review: Upward Spiral – Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling
From note one, this album sounds more like a Kurt Elling album backed by the Branford Marsalis Quartet than the other way around Elling's voice kicks in immediately on the opening cut, Gershwin's "There's a Boat Dat's...
May 31, 2016
When Kurt Elling comes to town
There is always a buzz when Kurt Elling comes to town He likes to visit us here in Australia on a regular basis and we are fortunate that he makes the long trip from the United States Last time he was here, Elling performed with the Melbourne...