Ellis Marsalis Jr. is not only a major pianist and composer of New Orleans jazz, he has also spent much of his life teaching at various music schools in Louisiana. Here he taught pianist Harry Connick Jr. No less talented students were his sons Jason, Branford, Delfeayo and Wynton, who can now boast of their own successful careers. But of course there is nothing better than a gathering of this
… prominent family, like on this live album. This was a concert in tribute to father Ellis and a benefit for his music school The Ellis Marsalis Center For Music. There was a lot of talking and speech that evening between songs. The stories surrounding the Marsalis clan were warmly received by the public, but do not always get across on CD. The music, on the other hand, is rock solid: smooth bebop and hard bop, tightly executed and always topped with an irresistible New Orleans swing. Standard jazz but try to sit still. (MR)more