Jazz at Lincoln Center: They Came to Swing [Live]

1. Take the "A" Train

2. Black and Tan Fantasy

3. Express Crossing (Astride Iron Horses) - Wynton Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis

4. Light Blue

5. Jelly, Jelly

6. Things to Come

7. Boy Meets Horn

8. Lost in Loveliness

9. Back to Basics - Wynton Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis

10. Tattooed Bride

Jazz at Lincoln Center: They Came to Swing,Various Artists,Sony,Bop,Classical,Contemporary Jazz,Hard Bop,Mainstream Jazz,Modern Big Band,Neo-Bop,New Orleans Jazz,Post-Bop,Swing

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Tracks:

Take The 'A' Train
Black And Tan Fantasy
Express Crossing
Light Blue
Jelly, Jelly
Things To Come
Boy Meets Horn
Lost In Loveliness
Back To Basics
Tattooed Bride

Customer Reviews:

. . . and they did.......2005-10-24

What a great CD! From the classic take the "A" Train to the electric "Back to Basics," I can't stop listening to this music. It hasn't been out of my CD Player since it arrived.

Some great LCJO playing here!.......2005-07-07

I've heard the LCJO live I think 3 times. This is, along with Live in Swing City: Swingin' With Duke are the only 2 CDs I currently own of the group.

"Take the 'A' Train" begins with a fabulous piano introduction lead into an Ellington classic that never stops swinging.

"Things To Come" is another notable track. Jon Faddis takes a stratospheric solo from the very first note over a near 400 bpm song. This is probably the fastest I've heard this tune, and surprisingly enough it came from a big band. Alto saxophonist (who is unfortuntely underrated) takes a burning solo, chorus after chorus.

"Back To Basics" is a fun one to listen to. Several musicians in the band get their chance in the spotlight. Wynton pulls off some laughing effects through his horn, and a ripping muted trombone solo by I think Wycliffe Gordon.

I would have given this CD 5 stars but I am not too into the baritone vocalist in two of the tracks. Too deep for my tastes.

Definately a favorite among my big band CDs.

Professionally, The Big Band Equivalent Of MJQ.......2004-03-01

There is no other way to describe this organization in the manner that it perpetuates jazz at its finest!

This is a compilation of performances from 1992-1994 on tour at Poughkeepsie,NY, Cleveland, and the Universities of Princeton, Michigan, and Iowa as well as Lincoln Center,NYC.

I would have bought this cd purely on it containing the rarely recorded Ellington masterpiece "The Tattooed Bride". The performance of the additional material was an unexpected pleasure!

The cd leads off with a version of "Take The 'A' Train" which adheres to the original Ellington band arrangement but allows the soloists a greater lattitude, such as the piano intro by Sir Roland Hanna and a masterful exhibition of trumpet playing by Lew Soloff.

The 1927 Ellington composition "Black and Tan Fantasy" provides some virtuoso mute and plunger work by Wynton Marsalis on trumpet and Wycliffe Gordon on trombone which was enthusiastically received by the audience.

"Express Crossing" written by Wynton Marsalis leaves no doubt in anyone's mind of the imagery of trains! This is part of a critically acclaimed score written for the New York Ballet. This one, for me, was a little far out!

"Light Blue" is a Thelonious Monk composition that comes off well....with some fine examples of trumpet growels from Marsalis.

"Jelly Jelly" is a real down blues with vocalist Milt Grayson sounding quite a bit like the great Billy Eckstine who was responsible for the lyrics. He also does the vocal on the Sigmund Romberg - Leo Robin collaboration on the infrequently recorded "Lost In Loveliness" ......which was previouly recorded by both Ellington and Eckstine.

The Ellington arrangement of "Boy Meets Horn", written as a showcase for trumpeter Rex Stewart, is followed pretty closely except for the trumpet solo by Wynton Marsalis which is more extended and reveals his mastery of the instrument (never a doubt in my mind!).

I found it hard to believe that Dizzy Gillespie's composition, "Things To Come", was first presented back in 1946. Small wonder that it blew away everyone for its sheer velocity alone! The fiery solos on this one go to alto saxist Jesse Davis and the high note trumpet specialist, Jon Faddis.

I really dig Wynton's "Back To Basics", an excerpt from his extended work "Blood On The Fields". The tension and the beat on this just keeps building on solo after excellent solo. This one really cooks and if your fingers don't end up snapping.....you better check your pulse!

Finally as a closer, the extended Ellington work (almost 12 minutes), "The Tattooed Bride". It sounds great in stereo...but....some of the beauty of the orchestration gets lost (possibly because of being recorded live in an auditorium?). For this reason alone, I still prefer the 1950 studio recording which has been re-released on cd ("Masterpieces by Ellington" on Columbia Masterworks).

Bottom line: If you dig really good big band, soloists who are masters, a fine repertoire of jazz, and in particular Duke Ellington, in a responsive live setting, then you will want and enjoy this one!

great ellington stuff!.......2001-05-12

The LCJO did a great job reproducing these Ellington masterpieces. The playing by Wynton is always good, but Jon Faddis, as well as Nicholas Payton, Lew Soloff, Roger Ingram, and Joshua Redman all make appearances on the cd. There are a few songs on the disc that I place ahead of others, like ATrain, Boy Meets Horn, and Things to Come. Some of the songs don't seem to go as far as they should, or could go. It is a great overall cd with good live recording. A very swinging band that recreates well while putting their own stamp on the work.

Good.......1999-05-19

There are a few excellent cuts on this record where the LCJO is in top form, and that's pretty hard to beat. I'd buy the record again just for these tracks.

Jazz at Lincoln Center: They Came to Swing

Average customer rating:

Jazz at Lincoln Center: They Came to Swing
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00006C1U4
Release Date: 2002-09-30

Tracks:

Take the "A" Train
Black and Tan Fantasy
Express Crossing (Astride Iron Horses) - Wynton Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis
Light Blue
Jelly, Jelly
Things to Come
Boy Meets Horn
Lost in Loveliness
Back to Basics - Wynton Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis
Tattooed Bride

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