June 22, 2007

Classical music: Swing out, Shakespeare
The third Marsalis brother will mix jazz and the Bard at Orchestra Hall, in a Duke Ellington suite inspired by such as characters as Henry V, Romeo and Juliet and "Lady Mac."
By Michael Anthony, Star Tribune

Delfeayo Marsalis counts jazz and Shakespeare as two of the enduring loves of his life. So it seems inevitable that the trombonist, composer and record producer would feel a strong connection to "Such Sweet Thunder," the suite based on Shakespeare characters composed by Duke Ellington and collaborator Billy Strayhorn, first performed to wide acclaim at Town Hall in New York City in 1957.

In fact, Marsalis, the younger brother of Wynton and Branford, will premiere his new octet version of "Such Sweet Thunder" with Branford on tenor saxophone Thursday at Orchestra Hall, and then will return Aug. 5 with a program of Count Basie material.

Although Ellington's more extended works of the '50s and '60s were derided for years as inferior to his classic work of the early '40s, the suites have recently found more appreciative ears. Jazz critic Stanley Crouch, for instance, classifies "Such Sweet Thunder" as "one of the peaks of late Ellington."

Delfeayo Marsalis also has long admired the piece. He studied the original piano score at the Smithsonian Institution, checking the parts against the recording Ellington made with his band. (Phil Schaap, who produced the reissue of "Thunder" on CD, drawing from various later tracks and alternate takes, will serve as host Thursday night.)

" There are so many elements in the whole suite," the 41-year-old Marsalis said by phone from Wilmington, N.C., where he is producing music for a film biography of jazz cornetist Buddy Bolden. "But I also like the way Ellington used the piece to showcase each of his great musicians. What I'm doing is featuring different instruments than he did. Like, the one he used to feature Harry Carney on baritone, I give to bass or trumpet. Or the one about Hamlet, 'Madness in Great Ones,' with the high-note trumpet-playing of Cat Anderson, will feature Branford, who, I would have to say, represents insanity better than anyone I know."

Ellington drew the suite's title from lines in "A Midsummer Night's Dream": " I never heard so musical a discord, such sweet thunder." And being a man of no small wit, he provided the individual pieces with wry names such as "Lady Mac" and "Sonnet to Henry Cinq," and gave an especially beautiful theme to his saxophonists, Paul Gonsalves and Johnny Hodges, who play Romeo and Juliet, respectively, in "Star-Crossed Lovers." And he uses three trombones to play the Three Witches in "The Telecasters," where they meet up with Iago. Ellington's only regret, he says in his autobiography "Music Is My Mistress," is that he had to leave out Richard III, who would have been "a good subject for the blues."

After the performance here, Marsalis hopes to take "Such Sweet Thunder" on tour and perhaps record it. Until at least the end of the year, however, he is likely to be busy with "Bolden," the movie's tentative title, for which he is also an actors' consultant. Anthony Mackie will portray Bolden, the musician who some say invented jazz in New Orleans during the first decade of the 20th century, or earlier. In 1907, Bolden was committed to an insane asylum in Jackson, La., where he remained until his death in 1931.

The movie, set for release in 2008, will have an original score by Wynton Marsalis, who will also do the cornet playing. Jazz has not always fared well on the big screen, but Delfeayo thinks "Bolden" will be an exception, and he has high praise for what his brother has played so far for the movie. "Wynton is killin' and the band is on fire," he said.

Delfeayo (whose name is pronounced DEL-fee-yo) was born in New Orleans and began studying trombone at 13. Although he hasn't earned the fame that his two older brothers have, his career as a player and bandleader -- he performed here at the Dakota in January -- and as a record producer has been substantial, as have been his continual efforts in education. "I was always considered behind-the-scenes," he said. He laughed when asked whether he has trouble getting the outspoken Branford to fall into line when Delfeayo is the leader, as is the case in the "Such Sweet Thunder" project.

" Branford will always do what's in the best interest of the music," he said. " Maybe I'll say something, and he will oppose it to the nth degree, but if he knows that that's the best conclusion, then he'll do it, even if he won't admit it."

For his Basie evening in August, Marsalis has engaged several jazz luminaries, including saxophonist James Moody, veteran drummer Ed Shaughnessy and a young pianist/singer from New Orleans, Davell Crawford. " I've always liked that," he said, "bringing together old and young. The old musicians bring the experience, and the young ones bring the fire." He calls Crawford heir to the New Orleans piano style, in the manner of Professor Longhair.

As far as the style of the evening, "we want it to be modern, but we also want it to swing," he said. "You know, Ellington had a great band, but that Basie band, man, they would swing you out the door."


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