On the current southern tour of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the 16-piece band is focusing on the 70th anniversary of the original Blue Note records. The New York-based label founded by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis in 1939 that became seminal for musicians like Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock, who all cut albums for it during their fruitful careers.
In addition to that project, they have also been working on a lot of material generated by the bandmembers themselves. "We have a really large repertoire of music," explains trumpeter Marcus Printup over a phone interview as he prepared for a performance. "For the past year, Wynton [Marsalis] has been featuring different arrangements from the cats in the band, and we're starting to expand our own book as well as music from band leaders like Stan Kenton, Count Basie and the like."
Printup doesn't seem intimidated by playing his horn next to the band's famous director --- they have been playing together for well over a decade, and Marsalis' professionalism helps to keep things in the right place. There are some moments, though. "I've been playing in the band for sixteen years now, so it's like second nature to me," admits Printup. "But every now and then I look over and go 'Wow, I'm playing with the guy the was my idol when I was in college.' But he's very down to earth, he's just one of us --- he's no male diva at all."
Wynton Marsalis. Thursday, January 22, Knight Concert Hall, the Arsht Center. 1301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. Show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets cost $15 to $135. 305-949-6722; www.arshtcenter.org
Wynton Marsalis, with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Wednesday, January 28. Alexander W. Dreyfoos, Jr. Concert Hall, the Kravis Center. 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach. Shows start at 8 p.m.; tickets cost $65. 561-832-7469; www.kravis.org
-- Ernest Barteldes
