The Majesty of the Blues is an album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis that was released in 1989.
| The Majesty of the Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 13, 1989 | |||
| Recorded | 27 October & 28 October 1988 | |||
| Studio | RCA Studio A | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 59:57 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Steven Epstein, George Butler | |||
| Wynton Marsalis chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [3] |
| Rolling Stone | [1] |
Background
editThe first two selections on the album are played by the Wynton Marsalis Sextet.
The remaining three tracks (side B on the original LP release), a set entitled "New Orleans Function", feature the sextet with additional New Orleans musicians in a style influenced by the traditional New Orleans brass band. This section mirrors a traditional jazz funeral, with a dirge-like first selection ("The Death of Jazz"), then a spoken word section ("Premature Autopsies", an essay by Stanley Crouch performed by Jeremiah Wright) and preached like a minister at a graveyard, and a second line number ("Oh, But on the Third Day – Happy Feet Blues").
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Wynton Marsalis except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Majesty of the Blues (The Puheeman Strut)" | 15:06 |
| 2. | "Hickory Dickory Dock" | 9:06 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3. | "The Death of Jazz" | 12:39 | |
| 4. | "Premature Autopsies (Sermon)" | Marsalis, Stanley Crouch | 16:22 |
| 5. | "Oh, but on the Third Day (Happy Feet Blues)" | 6:44 |
Personnel
editThe Wynton Marsalis Sextet
edit- Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
- Todd Williams – tenor and soprano saxophones
- Wessell Anderson – alto saxophone
- Marcus Roberts – piano
- Reginald Veal – double bass
- Herlin Riley – drums
The New Orleans Function
editComposed of the Wynton Marsalis Sextet and the following:
- Wynton Marsalis – second trumpet and plunger mute
- Teddy Riley – first trumpet
- Freddie Lonzo – trombone
- Michael White – clarinet
- Danny Barker – banjo
Technical personnel
edit- Steven Epstein – producer
- George Butler – executive producer
- Tim Geelan – engineer
- Dennis Ferrante – assistant engineer
References
edit- ^ "Wynton Marsalis: Majesty of the Blues". Rock's Back Pages. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "The Majesty of the Blues". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ^ Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 950. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.