THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER WITH WYNTON MARSALIS PERFORMS ‘DUKE IN AFRICA’ AT THE UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY CONCERT SERIES

 

Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis

What makes the annual Jazz at Lincoln Center concert with Wynton Marsalis, presented by the University Music Society, worth attending each season is that each performance is unique. That has been my experience over the two decades I've reviewed the shows. On Saturday, the orchestra returned with a program titled "Duke in Africa," once again demonstrating its mastery of Ellington’s canon. For 90 minutes, the JLCO highlighted its collective virtuosity, dedicating the first half to Ellington's “Togo Brava Suite” and the second half to his “Liberian Suite.” What stood out most in each interpretation of Ellington’s music was the soloing. Before the music started, Marsalis passed the reins to the co-music directors' saxophonists, Alexa Tarantino and Chris Lewis. Tarantino, one of the youngest musicians in the orchestra, spoke about the orchestra’s tour of Africa, its collaborations with noted African jazz musicians, and how this presentation of “Duke in Africa” would be mixed with music from those collaborations. Those compositions warmed the audience, but it was Ellington’s music that stirred their souls. Tarantino and baritone saxophonist Paul Nedzela delivered the first memorable solos on “Soul Flute,” followed by Dan Nimmer, who made his piano float on “Conscious.” But the solo that almost caused a riot inside Hill Auditorium was Lewis on “Naturally.” Trombonist Chris Crenshaw and trumpeter Marcus Printup dazzled when the zoom lens was focused on them. The crowd ate up the changes the musicians played like a hardy holiday brunch. Surprisingly, Marsalis didn’t make too much noise. He appeared content, minding his business in the trumpet section. Recently, Marsalis announced that he was stepping down as the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. So, I wondered if he also plans to leave the trumpet section. Anyway, the orchestra was in strong form, managing Ellington’s music with the reverence his legacy deserves.