"That's a Nice Afro…"
Holy. Freaking. Cow... ... I haven't been this blown away from a concert since I saw Maceo Parker. And before that Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. But, seriously. Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra are, absolutely, beyond words. For the majority of the concert, Wynton held himself in check, and basically chilled with the band, which was mind-F*ingly good. Everyone, every player, were absolute masters of their crafts. I heard a clarinet do a 2 octave slide. No, not a slured run, a slide, as though it were a trombone just sliding up... like a violin or other non-fretted string instrument sliding up. I heard the clarinet do that tonight. I pooped my pants, but only just a little.
Then, for the encore, Wynton came out with four other players (interestingly enough, only three of the four were expected, the fourth kinda... just... whoopsed himself on stage... it was great)... and he played. No talk (which he did the rest of the show, and it was funny, poignant, smart and did I mention funny?), just play. And my. Good. Lord. In. Heaven. It was transcendent. He did things on the trumpet that made his band member (that whoopsed himself on stage) look on with disbelief. It was unbelievable . Go see them play. Whenever, wherever. GO GO GO!
-Jon