Amazon.co.uk Review
For his debut on this label,
Magic Hour, Wynton Marsalis gets back to basics with a small combo. Taking a break from his large-ensemble works such as
Blood on the Fields and
All Rise, the trumpeter leads a quartet consisting of bassist Carlos Henriquez, pianist Eric Lewis, and drummer Ali Jackson. Labelmates Bobby McFerrin (who recorded with the trumpeter on the early 80s LP,
The Young Lions) and Dianne Reeves join Marsalis on "Baby, I Love You" and "Feeling of Jazz." "Big Fat Hen" is peppered by a New Orleans-meets-Brazil second-line samba, while "Skippin'" is a Monkish riff tune with stop time. The title track, dedicated to the time when kids go to sleep, includes a melodic nod to "The Flight of the Bumblebee," a mid-tempo groove, a ballad and the Cuban
clave. With the sterling production by younger brother Delfeayo, Wynton Marsalis starts off on the good foot.
--Eugene Holley, Jr, Amazon.com
CD Description
Umpteenth album from the "acceptable" face of black American jazz, a controversial performer who has infuriated jazz purists and delighted conservative audiences with his forays into the world of classical music. After the epic orchestral arrangements of 2002's 'All Rise', he has returned to his roots with an intimate quartet recording of some well-known jazz standards.