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Branford Marsalis: The Dark Keys

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Clumbia Jazz Records
Released: 1996.10.29
Time:
 62:00
Category: Jazz
Producer(s): Delfeayo Marsalis
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.branfordmarsalis.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.06.06
Price in €: 10,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] The Dark Keys (B.Marsalis) - 10:42
[2] Hesitation (B.Marsalis) - 5:58
[3] A Thousand Autumns (B.Marsalis) - 6:20
[4] Sentinel (B.Marsalis) - 8:49
[5] Lykeif (B.Marsalis) - 6:08
[6] Judas Iscariot (D.Marsalis) - 7:48
[7] Blu Tain (J.Watts) - 7:36
[8] Schott Happens (B.Marsalis) - 8:16

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


BRANFORD MARSALIS - Soprano & Tenor Saxophone
REGINALD VEAL - Bass
JEFF "TAIN" WATTS - Drums

JOE LOVANO - Tenor Saxophone on [4]
KENNY G (Kenneth Garrett) - Alto Saxophone on [6]

PATRICK SMITH - Engineer
ROB "WACKO" HUNTER - Assistant Engineer
DENNIS DARBY - Assistant Engineer
JASON MARSALIS - Editing
STEVE REYNOLDS - Mastering
ARNOLD LEVINE - Art Direction
JOSH CHEUSE - Design
LISA HAUN - Photography

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


997 LP Sony 67876
1997 LP Columbia 67876
1996 CD Sony 67876
1997 LP Jazz Planet 5004
1996 CD Classic Compact Disc 67876
1996 CD Sony 67876



Dark Keys is Branford Marsalis' first major solo album since taking a leave from recording to be the musical director of The Tonight Show in 1993. Instead of following through with the hip-hop inclinations of Buckshot LeFonque, Marsalis has returned to traditional jazz, yet this is far from standard bop. Marsalis pushes at the borders of post-bop, adding elements of hip-hop and rock & roll, making for an adventurous and exciting listen. Occasionally, his experiments are unsuccessful, yet they are never less than intriguing.

Leo Stanley, All-Music Guide



Nur wenige Musiker haben die Kraft, im Trio aus Baß, Schlagzeug und Sax zu bestehen. Branford Marsalis zeigt an Tenor und Sopran Top-Format. Drummer Jeff Tain Watts ist stets für kleine rhythmische Überraschungen gut, und Bassist Reginald Veal kann geradlinig losmarschieren, vehement swingen und mit eigenständigen Themen Akzente setzen. Marsalis schwebt darüber in freien wie themengebunden Höhenflügen voll magischer Energie. In je einem Titel mischen die Saxophonisten Joe Lovano und Kenny Garrett mit.

© Audio



Der Tenor- und Sopransaxophonist Branford Marsalis hat seinen John Coltrane hörbar gut studiert. Wohl meidet er die hymnische Ekstase des Ahnvaters, doch in Balladen und Uptempo-Titeln schwingt er sich zu den typisch Coltrane'schen tragenden Linien empor. In dem Bassisten Reginald Veal und dem Drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts hat Marsalis zwei großartige Partner zur Seite. Die beiden zeigen in langen Passagen auch solistische Ambitionen und sorgen so für spannende Reibungsflächen. Als Gäste des Trios treten in je einem Stück die Saxophonisten Joe Lovano und Kenny Garrett auf. ** I: 8-9

© Stereoplay



Good news for Branford Marsalis fans who've suffered through one misguided career move after another, from the saxophonist's late lamented stint as bandleader for Jay Leno's Tonight Show to the jazz-funk-hiphop mismatch of Buckshot Le Fonque. Branford the straight-out jazz saxophonist is back with a vengeance, blowing furiously on his newest, stripped-down CD, The Dark Keys (Sony), with acoustic accompaniment from bassist Reginald Veal and fellow Tonight Show vet Jeff "Tain" Watts seated behind the drums.

This trio format showcases Marsalis' horn playing without the distractions of a studio full of sidemen taking turns to lay down one rambling solo after another. This time out, all the rambling solos belong to Marsalis, whose stylistic approach to The Dark Keys blasts out a message, loud and clear, that Branford means business when it comes to blowing jazz. And blow he does.

The Dark Keys is Marsalis' first studio jazz recording since 1991's The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, and his first jazz trio project since the 1993 live recording, Bloomington. Expanding the trio sound, Marsalis invites fellow hornman Joe Lovano to blow along on "Sentinel," and another tenor great, Kenny Garrett, joins the trio on "Judas Iscariot" (written by Delfaeyo Marsalis, who also produced the album) in a double-headed frenzy of horns.

"Hesitation," from brother Wynton's prolific pen, is a sparse, impressionistic number urged by Watts' complex, multi-tiered traps competing with Marsalis' sly soprano sax. Branford throws in brief quotes from John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" on the rapid-paced title track, and there are vestiges of "Lush Life" on "A Thousand Autumns," another mood piece that leaves plenty of breathing room between notes.

"Schott Happens," an acerbic poke at the infamous owner of the Cincinnati Reds, swings in a neo-bop motif, and "Blutain," a smoldering Watts ballad, gives Marsalis the opportunity to romp in a lowdown, bluesy groove. Unadorned, unvarnished, and uncompromising, this clean, hard-blowing session should right the wrongs of Branford's previous misses with a dead-on hit.

Wayne Saroyan - December 1, 1996
Music Wire



Tenor/soprano saxman Branford Marsalis returns to the trio setting-the format in which he is most energetic, imaginative and resourceful for the first time since 1993's Bloomington. Joining him are his longtime stickman, Jeff "Tam" Watts (who chips in "Blutain"), and new bassist Reginald Veal, a stalwart in brother Wynton's bands. Choice cuts on this live-to-two-track session are the tenorist's "Schott Happens" (for Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott), "Judas Iscariot" (with guest altoist Kenny Garrett) and "Sentinel" (with guest tenorman Joe Lovano).

Gene Kalbacher - Nov 18, 1996
College Media, Inc. - CMJ New Music Report Issue: 499
 

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