{"id":1954,"date":"2015-12-15T12:44:43","date_gmt":"2015-12-15T17:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/?p=1954"},"modified":"2015-12-15T12:44:43","modified_gmt":"2015-12-15T17:44:43","slug":"branford-marsalis-and-kurt-elling-in-new-orleans-ready-for-recording","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2015\/12\/branford-marsalis-and-kurt-elling-in-new-orleans-ready-for-recording.html","title":{"rendered":"Branford Marsalis and Kurt Elling in New Orleans, ready for recording"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"unnamed\"<\/a>

At Snug Harboer, NOLA, from left.: Nicholas Payton, Eric Revis, Branford Marsalis, Justin Faulkner, Kurt Elling. Photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis’s quartet and singer Kurt Elling prepared for their upcoming recording in a rare four-night stand at Snug Harbor in New Orleans last week, and\u00c2\u00a0photo-journalist extraordinaire Marc PoKempner<\/a> went each night, enthralled.<\/p>\n

“It was sort of an open rehearsal for the recording, so the set list was the same every night,” PoKempner reported by phone, “but it changed a lot, too. The first night Kurt asked the crowd, ‘Does anyone here speak Portuguese? If so, you’re going to want to leave now,’ because he\u00c2\u00a0sang a lyric\u00c2\u00a0in Portuguese, reading it<\/p>\n

\"kurt<\/a>

Kurt Elling, photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

phonetically off some paper, and slaughtered the language. But by the fourth night, he had it down.”<\/p>\n

PoKempner knows Elling from\u00c2\u00a0Chicago, but he says in NOLA,\u00c2\u00a0Kurt learned he had to almost holler for attention. “He isn’t known here, he doesn’t perform here. People had\u00c2\u00a0come\u00c2\u00a0to hear Branford, who’d start out each night with what I gather was the Tonight Show<\/em> theme. He’s got a very energetic, swinging, fun band [Joey Calderazzo, piano; Eric Revis, bass; Justin Faulkner, drums] and though he himself isn’t the most physically expressive, he blows his ass off, has a very strong tone, and gets up to play<\/em>. He blew some very abstract stuff, even like something Fred Anderson would have played — but always brought those breaks \u00c2\u00a0back to the swinging, melodic hook. Branford’s band did a couple of songs before Kurt came out.<\/p>\n

“After the first two sets, in which he\u00c2\u00a0was kind of subdued, Kurt\u00c2\u00a0started to<\/p>\n

\"branford<\/a>

Brandford Marsalis, Justin Faulkner, Kurt Elling, photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

hit the audience hard; he even did some scat-singing,\u00c2\u00a0in full\u00c2\u00a0register. They did a song Sting wrote for Broadway show The Last Ship <\/em><\/a>called\u00c2\u00a0‘Practical Arrangement.’ It’s like a little movie, about an older guy making a proposition to a woman, ‘We cold share a roof, I’d be father to your boy, we could sleep in separate beds, you wouldn’t have to cook for me,’ and then there’s a point where he proposes ‘Would it be so bad to be my wife?’ — and the first time I heard ‘wife’ the way Kurt did it was a total surprise to me. It wasn’t as much of a surprise after I heard it eight times, but it was very powerful every time.<\/p>\n

\"branford<\/a>

Branford Marsalis, Justin Faulkner, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling; photo by Marc PoKempner<\/p><\/div>\n

“The pianist, bassist and drummer were each terrific in their own ways. On the \u00c2\u00a0last night, Dee Dee Bridgewater sat in with Kurt for a duet on ‘Teach Me Tonight<\/a>,’ Delfeayo Marsalis played trombone on one tune, and Irvin Mayfield played flugelhorn.<\/p>\n

“I told both Kurt and Branford, ‘It’s fun to watch you guys do something you don’t already know how to do,’ and they looked pleased, acknowledging they challenged themselves. It was really interesting to hear the music develop and deepen over these four nights.”<\/p>\n

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[contextly_auto_sidebar]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Saxophonist Branford Marsalis’s quartet and singer Kurt Elling prepared for their upcoming recording in a rare four-night stand at Snug Harbor in New Orleans last week, and\u00c2\u00a0photo-journalist extraordinaire Marc PoKempner went each night, enthralled. “It was sort of an open rehearsal for the recording, so the set list was the same every night,” PoKempner reported […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1362,1361,595,1359,1360],"class_list":{"0":"post-1954","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-main","8":"tag-practical-arrangement","9":"tag-branford-marsalis","10":"tag-kurt-elling","11":"tag-marc-pokempner","12":"tag-snug-harbor","13":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/unnamed.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-vw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2957,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2021\/12\/holidays-with-music-in-person-or-not.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":0},"title":"Holidays with music, in person or not","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"December 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Despite my avowed abhorrence of Christmas music, I enjoyed maestro Kurt Elling leading his hometown quintet in a holiday-themed performance at Chicago's City Winery last Sunday. Kurt Elling \u00c2\u00a9 Marc PoKempner My entire evening -- accompanied by best friends, and including the surprise discovery after the Winery show of a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/HBrain-Xmas21-m.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":320,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/06\/_why_give_jazz_awards.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":1},"title":"Why of the Jazz Journalists Assn’s Jazz Awards","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"June 11, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Why give Jazz Awards? See my new column in City Arts re the event Monday 6\/14 at City Winery in NYC, produced by the Jazz Journalists Assoc.\u00c2\u00a0 (Full disclosure: I'm deeply involved -- as left, last year presenting Kurt Elling his statuette for Best Male Vocalist, photo by Enid Farber.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"HM-and-Kurt-Elling-jazz-awa.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/HM-and-Kurt-Elling-jazz-awa.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2459,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2018\/08\/labor-day-jazz-fests-starting-with-chicagos.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":2},"title":"Labor Day jazz fests, starting with Chicago’s","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"August 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00c2\u00a040th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, four days free to all of unfettered, usually joyous music held in beautiful downtown Millennium Park,\u00c2\u00a0 started last night with stars of of the local scene celebrating\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\"Legends and Lions\".\u00c2\u00a0Add \"Ancient to the Future\"\u00c2\u00a0to set the tone for a weekend of exciting, civically-supported music here --\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/chi-listens-300x216.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":274,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2009\/11\/best_beyond_jazz_recordings_of.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":3},"title":"Best beyond “jazz” CDs of 2009","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"November 27, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"My 10 top CDs of 2009 blow past conventions to enrich jazz, blues, new and unusual music. They're chosen from almost 1000 I received for review -- an abundance of fine releases since November 2008, the full year following Barack Obama's election to president.Maybe it's coincidence that fresh thinking, spirited\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1401,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2013\/09\/chicago-jazz-festival-13-in-marc-pokempners-photos.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":4},"title":"Chicago Jazz Festival ’13, in Marc PoKempner’s photos","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"September 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Photo-journalist Marc PoKempner, a long-time collaborator and one of my bffs, has a clear eye as well as a sharp ear for music. He captured some of the diversity and vigor of the 35th annual Chicago Jazz Festival, August 28 - Sept 1 \u00c2\u00a02013. Click on these photos for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "main"","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/rudresh-collage-chicago-jazz-fest-2013.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2236,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2017\/06\/great-new-jazz-photography-marc-pokempner-portfolio-from-new-orleans.html","url_meta":{"origin":1954,"position":5},"title":"Great new jazz photography: Marc PoKempner portfolio from New Orleans","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"June 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Photos of musicians making music -- visualizations stirred in the photographers by watching sounds manifest -- are exciting, and as different in style as the photographers and musicians themselves.\u00c2\u00a0Marc PoKempner 's\u00c2\u00a0portfolio from New Orleans of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Cuban drummers at the Music Box\u00c2\u00a0Village,\u00c2\u00a0a non-profit community arts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Ben Jaffe\"","block_context":{"text":"Ben Jaffe","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/tag\/ben-jaffe"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/DSCF5504-e-1-1.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1954"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1954\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}