Wynton Marsalis

1980年，當時所謂正統(tǒng)爵士樂奄奄一息，融合爵士日趨流行媚俗，前衛(wèi)實驗派人士在美國市場極小，只能到歐洲討生活，突然之間，美國爵士樂界有個大新聞，一個身懷絕藝的茱莉亞音樂學院材生，長得英俊挺拔的黑人青年小號手，投入了爵士樂圈子，加入亞特布雷奇領導的爵士信差樂團，他的名字，叫作溫頓馬沙利斯，幾乎從一開始，溫頓就獲得一面倒的熱烈掌聲，新舊各派爵士樂迷都受他的音樂吸引，主流唱片公司與他簽約，沉寂了好一陣子的爵士信差樂團重新獲得注意，爵士樂評論界人人如釋重負（因為似乎不必怕爵士樂會壽終正寢，要知道，70年代以來，他們擔心了十幾年！ ），那段時間，溫頓簡直是救世主！
 
不但是救世主，也是特級核彈，威力所及，各大唱片公司全都開始尋找爵士新星，出錢出力，深怕喪失了未來的市場占有率，許多年輕人嘗試學習爵士樂，潛沉改行的老將富出江湖，浪跡歐洲的爵士藝人又再接到故鄉(xiāng)的演奏邀約，十多年來被搖滾樂壓得幾乎喪失所有市場的爵士樂，終于開始出現(xiàn)復興的曙光，這樣的狀況在溫頓贏得葛萊美爵士樂獎項之后越演越烈，接著，古典根基深厚的這個年輕人又拿下葛萊美古典獎項，不但左右開弓，而且樣樣第一，菨時溫頓成了新興的文化偶像，他應邀擔任林肯中心爵士音樂總監(jiān)，登上時代雜志封面，成為美國的風云人物，影響力不僅僅限于爵士音樂圈，在整個音樂界來說也是名列前茅。
 
其實，溫頓的古典演奏真是非常厲害，Sony唱片在日本出版過一張名為「Carnival」的溫頓古典選集，其中黃蜂飛行、海頓的小號協(xié)奏曲等等高難度樂曲，他的演奏技巧真是令人瞠目結(jié)舌，二連音、三連音的吹奏游刃有余、行若無事，不知情的人絕對會以為有三個小號手同時演奏！話說回來，高超的古曲樂小號技巧，對他的爵士樂演奏并不見得有幫助，誠然，他的演奏中有許多高難度的「鋸齒狀」跳躍式旋律線，例如他的名曲「Delfeayo's Dilemma」里面的高低轉(zhuǎn)折既快速又準確清晰，沒有幾個爵士樂手作得到，但是爵士樂的小號演奏，傳統(tǒng)上講究的是強烈個人風格的音色，泉涌而出的即興樂句，表達的常是演奏者個人當下的情緒，手法上經(jīng)?？焖偈褂没钊存I，這些和按照曲譜演奏，要求精確，擅長以唇舌改變音高的古典小號訓練很難相輔相成。
 
溫頓馬沙利斯帶動了目前新古典爵士的發(fā)展，為紐奧良爵士傳統(tǒng)建立跨世紀的承接，他的個人魅力，為爵士樂市場開發(fā)出一群新的聽眾，也在80年代將爵士樂帶入美國學術圈子，十多年來，溫頓主持了無數(shù)場爵士樂師資講座，以他個人的形象與聲望，從基礎教育著手來推廣爵士樂，在他的努力下，爵士樂演奏家的形象逐漸得與古典音樂家并駕齊驅(qū)，慢慢擁有同等的聲望與社會地位，就這幾點而言，他的確是二十世紀末的爵士英雄之一。
 
by Scott Yanow
The most famous jazz musician since 1980, Wynton Marsalis made a major impact on jazz almost from the start. In the early 80s, it was major news that a young and very talented black musician would choose to make a living playing acoustic jazz rather than fusion, funk, or R&B. Marsalis arrival on the scene started the Young Lions movement and resulted in major labels (most of whom had shown no interest in jazz during the previous decade) suddenly signing and promoting young players. There had been a major shortage of new trumpeters since 1970, but Marsalis sudden prominence inspired an entire new crop of brass players. The music of the mid-60s Miles Davis Quintet had been somewhat overshadowed when it was new, but Marsalis quintet focused on extending the groups legacy and soon other Young Lion units were using Davis late acoustic work as their starting point.
 
During his career, Marsalis has managed to be a controversial figure despite his obvious abilities. His selective knowledge of jazz history (considering post-1965 avant-garde playing to be outside of jazz and 1970s fusion to be barren) is unfortunately influenced by the somewhat eccentric beliefs of Stanley Crouch, and his hiring policies as musical director of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra led to exaggerated charges of ageism and racism from local writers. However, more than balancing all of this out is Marsalis inspiring work with youngsters, many of whom he has introduced to jazz; a few young musicians, such as Roy Hargrove, have been directly helped by Marsalis.
 
Marsalis trumpet playing has been both overcriticized and (at least early on) overpraised. When he first arrived on the scene with the Jazz Messengers, his original inspiration was Freddie Hubbard. However, by the time he began leading his own group, Marsalis often sounded very close to Miles Davis (particularly when holding a long tone), although a version of Davis with virtuosic technique. He was so widely praised by the jazz press at the time (due to their relief that the future of jazz finally seemed safe) that there was an inevitable backlash. Marsalis sometimes inaccurate statements about jazz of the 1970s and the avant-garde in general made some observers angry, and his rather derivative tone at the time made it seem as if there was always going to have to be an asterisk by his name when evaluating his talents. Some listeners formed permanent impressions of Marsalis as a Miles Davis imitator, but they failed to take into account that he was still improving and developing. With the 1990 recording Tune in Tomorrow, Marsalis at last sounded like himself. He had found his own voice by exploring earlier styles of jazz (such as Louis Armstrongs playing), mastering the wah-wah mute, and studying Duke Ellington. From that point on, even when playing a Miles Davis standard, Marsalis has had his own sound and has finally taken his place as one of jazzs greats.
 
The son of pianist Ellis Marsalis, the younger brother of Branford and the older brother of Delfeayo and Jason (the Marsalis clan as a whole can be accurately called The First Family of Jazz), Wynton (who was named after pianist Wynton Kelly) received his first trumpet at age six from Ellis employer, Al Hirt. He studied both classical and jazz and played in local marching bands, funk groups, and classical orchestras. Marsalis played first trumpet in the New Orleans Civic Orchestra while in high school. He went to Juilliard when he was 18 and in 1980 he made his first recordings with the Art Blakey Big Band and joined the Jazz Messengers.
 
By 1981, the young trumpeter was the talk of the jazz world. He toured with Herbie Hancock (a double LP resulted), continued working with Blakey, signed with Columbia, and recorded his first album as a leader. In 1982, Marsalis not only formed his own quintet (featuring brother Branford and soon Kenny Kirkland, Charnett Moffett, and Jeff Tain Watts) but recorded his first classical album; he was immediately ranked as one of the top classical trumpeters of all time. His quintet with Branford lasted until late 1985, although a rift developed between the brothers (fortunately temporary) when Branford finally quit the band to tour with Stings pop group. By that time Wynton was a superstar, winning a countless number of awards and polls.
 
Marsalis next group featured pianist Marcus Roberts, bassist Robert Hurst, and drummer Watts. Over time the group grew to become a four-horn septet with trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, altoist Wes Anderson, Todd Williams on tenor, bassist Reginald Veal, drummer Herlin Riley, and (by the early 90s) pianist Eric Reed. Marsalis really developed his writing during this era (being influenced by Duke Ellington) and the septet proved to be a perfect outlet for his arranging. Although Marsalis broke up the band by 1995, many of the musicians still appear in his special projects or with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
 
In 1997, Marsalis marathon Blood on the Fields (which was released as a three-CD set) became the first jazz-based work to win a Pulitzer Prize. Standard Time, Vol. 5: The Midnight Blues followed a year later. With the passing of so many jazz giants, Marsalis importance (as a trumpeter, leader, writer, and spokesman for jazz) continued to grow. Standard Time, Vol. 4: Marsalis Plays Monk followed in 1999 to coincide with the popular PBS special. Then, as if eight proper recordings in 1999 werent enough, Columbia and Marsalis released an amazingly affordable seven-disc set entitled Live at the Village Vanguard. Mid-2000 saw the release of Marciac Suite and Goin Down Home. Two years later, Marsalis celebrated the blues on All Rise. Next up was his first album for Blue Note, The Magic Hour, an album of original material released early in 2004. Later that year, the label released Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, Marsalis soundtrack to a Ken Burns documentary. Marsalis second studio effort for Blue Note, the politically and socially aware From the Plantation to the Penitentiary, followed in 2007.