Branford Marsalis Quartet: Orchestrated Improvisation

On the evening of Friday, November 15, the acoustically magnificent Spivey Hall in Morrow hosted the Branford Marsalis Quartet, which for some time has been recognized for setting the standard for a jazz quartet. Unusual for jazz, where players relish the opportunity to move from group to group and work with others they have not before played with, the Branford Marsalis Quartet has been performing and recording together for decades. Their familiarity breeds a rare kind of innovation revealed in their execution and interplay, in their collective imagination and how they support each other's stretches of improvisation, and in the sheer joy they share in their collaboration. You can read my review of their Spivey Hall performance at EarRelevant.net. I hope you enjoy my report, and perhaps be encouraged to tune into YouTube for a taste of their incredible virtuosity.