Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis in Ann Arbor 1-16-08!

January 16, 2008 | 0 Minute Read

So I just got back from a concert with the LCJ and Wynton Marsalis. Man, those guys are good!

They did some kind of tribute to Duke Ellington’s love songs. While it was a good set, I would’ve like to hear, y’know, songs from other people. Wynton and the gang are already criticized enough for playing “era” music, so it’s weird that they limited themselves even further.

The sounds were definitely authentic-sounding, but it’s funny because whenever someone takes a solo, you can hear them sort of drift into the future (or our present) and play licks that would have been unheard of (well, at least unheard) in Duke’s band. I mean, what’s the point of sounding so accurate and then playing a solo that’s got hard bop licks?

Overall though, it was pretty sweet. And they played C Jam Blues as an encore. Just for the record, if I was a girl, I’d totally have Wynton Marsalis’ babies. That’s all!