Monday, February 11, 2008

Dueling Horns - Wynton vs. Wycliffe

From YouTube via VideoSift:

Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) and Wycliffe Gordon (trombone) duke it out from their hotel room windows. They were both in Perugia, Italy in the Summer of 1993 for Umbria Jazz Festival.

Click here to see the comment - there's really not much more than this blurb - in its original context.

Okay, so I've been developing a few unfavorable opinions recently about the heir apparent for jazz's elder statesman, on which I will write here in the future, but whatever my criticisms are, I've got to admit that from time to time Wynton really catches fire. This is definitely one of those occasions. Who knows why Marsalis is only pretty good most of the time, but sublimely brilliant occasionally? Maybe these circumstances, being in Europe, where jazz is appreciated far more than it is in the US, out in the street, which is where jazz first reared its head in early 20th century New Orleans, at the spur of the moment, which utterly reinforces the absolutely necessary spontaneous nature of the music form, grabbed hold of Wynton and pushed him toward the Louis Armstrong side of the spectrum. Maybe it was because they were playing in a traditional New Orleans style. Or maybe he was just on that day. Like I said, who knows?

What's really cool is that Gordon is right there with him, blowing his t-bone as well as anybody I've ever heard.

Anyway, check it out. It's short:



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