Opera and Jazz. Virtuoso performances, intense musicality and emotion. Wynton Marsalis and The Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra came with a mission. In his fervent introduction, Mr. Marsalis' said that they believed that the voice of Jazz has a message for the world, a message that is yet to be comprehended by many, including themselves. This perhaps is most true of Jazz, and a genre that is so misunderstood and perhaps far under-rated.
Jazz IS modern.
This is perhaps an American medium and will never be far in spirit from those wonderful Negro spirituals, but Jazz now belongs to the world, and Wynton Marsalis and the LCJO has been here to prove it. As a Saxophonist myself, I was totally bowled over by the players' technical mastery over their instruments and musical artistry. The LCJO's versatility in sound encompassed the Jazz Ensemble sophistication and the Big Band style. With the sweet Gillespie tune Softly with Feeling , they demonstrated a contrasting lyricism, with the spotlight on the saxophone section. This traditional form of New Orleans Jazz is one of the most difficult forms to handle.