Here is an interesting artist that's new to me, and I wanted to share his music.

Wynton started out with Blakey's Messengers, and everybody said he was arguably the worlds best trumpet player. That could still be true because he also plays classical music. While he might be the best jazz trumpet player, that did not include being the best jazz musician.

After Wynton left Blakey, and was on his own, the shortcomings in his jazz composing talents became apparent. But he also plays classical, and that bumped his stature up with the establishment.
 

  https://wyntonmarsalis.org/videos/view/ms.-b.c.-art-blakey-and-the-jazz-messengers-live-at-seventh-a...



There, Wynton is playing the hippest of the hip jazz, and he's blowing it out of the park.
   
Criticism of Wynton from Aficionados and other jazz musicians did not come along until after he left Blakey. That's when we discovered he wasn't as good at making his own music as we thought he would be.

That's it in a nutshell.

Wynton:

Then, pray tell, why he is at Lincoln Center?

You are out into no-man's land of the culture wars.   Gotta pick a side.

Cheers

Wynton is a highly educated musician, that made him perfect for Lincoln Center.

He started off in the big league of jazz musicians, not just any musicians, but the big league of jazz musicians, and he blew like big league musicians. After he left Blakey, there were extremely high expectations; it was expected that he would compare to musicians like "Lee Morgan", Donald Byrd, and Freddie Hubbard, but his albums didn't rise to the occasion.

The problem was that more was expected than he could deliver. Now if you read the newspaper, he always got good press, but if you talked to aficionados, and the top jazz musicians, he wasn't in the "creative" running with the likes of Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd.

Fortunately for Wynton, since he could also play Classical, that really put him in good with the establishment; one that really never understood hardbop or modern jazz noway.

The bottom line is that more "creativity" was expected of Wynton than he was able to deliver.

When you compare Wynton to Lee Morgan or Donald Byrd, you'll see where many other top jazz musicians are coming from. The establishment said it was jealously, but they're the last people to ask any questions about hardbop or modern jazz. There was no jealously, just statements of fact.


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr8MXT5f7gw


  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jpFtZ9KmvI

Who is the best "hard-bop" jazz musician is not determined by some authority figure, but by a consensus of jazz musicians and jazz aficionados on the street; primarily in big cities. You can feel free to disagree with that consensus.

Clifford Brown was considered the best until his death. He was killed on June 26, 1956; I was living on the South Side of Chicago with my older cousin who had only recently introduced me to Clifford Brown. The remarkable thing about being the best, is that even after death, a musician can still be considered the best.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt_fmhtePoc


Not until Lee Morgan was any musician unanimously considered the best. He died February 19, 1972 at age 33. As I stated, a musician can still be considered the best even after his death.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHN6-yWFKPc


For a short while, before Wynton Marsalis left Art Blakey, he was considered the best. That's because as a trumpet player, he was comparable to both those musicians. It was not until he became his own man, making his own albums which did not live up to what was expected, and were not in the same league as the music of Clifford Brown or Lee Morgan that he was no longer considered the best.

However, since he also played classical music, I think he was still considered the best by the establishment; hence, Lincoln Center.

Of course, the assessment I made can be challenged.

***** Of course, the assessment I made can be challenged.*****

It will be.   Appointment with the doctor this morning.  Will post later today.

Cheers