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

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

Wynton is more than a trumpet player.   His trumpet playing is about as important to Jazz, as Ellington's piano playing, or Mingus' bass playing.  If that's how you see him, you have missed it.

He is the face of Jazz in the world.   He knows it's history, he speaks with authority, and he even looks and dresses the part.   He is keeping the flame alive.   What he does at Lincoln Center and with the Jazz orchestra  cannot be over stated.

As far as the guys on the street or in the barber shop, their opinions do not enter into it.   Lee, Brown etc.... were great players, period.  Great players are relatively common.   Leaders  are not so common.

Some had Leadership potential, but declined.  Miles, Bird and Trane come to mind

Wynton is  The LEADER in the world of Jazz.  He still sets the standard,  in spite of being under almost constant attack by noise-makers and their shills.

He can only be critiqued  in relation to the Giants of the art form.  Not just mere players.

Hell, even the incomparable Rok2id could play trumpet.  :)

Cheers

If you can't win the argument, change the subject; that sounds like politics 101 to me.

On to more good trumpet player from New Orleans. (Between me and you, I was in basic training with this guy named Petrie from Nawlins, that's the way he pronounced it, and he was born in New Orleans, had that accent that let you know it) Maybe things done changed since that time.

Nicholas Payton was born 1973 in New Orleans, and he's a top rated trumpet player;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWXELfT-pMk