Scenes In The City (1983) introduces the work of Branford Marsalis as a leader. Branford Marsalis is one of the very best saxophonists of his generation. He swings aplenty; plays long, florid lines rich in melodic material and rhythmic invention, possesses a soft, warm contemporary tone that serves him well on ballads, at which he, unlike many of his colleagues, excels.
Scenes In The City (1983) introduces the work of Branford Marsalis as a leader. Branford, the saxophonist among the New Orleans Marsalises, has received less than his due because he shares his surname with a certain young trumpet player. This record should rectify that situation, for Branford Marsalis is one of the very best saxophonists of his generation. He swings aplenty; plays long, florid lines rich in melodic material and rhythmic invention, possesses a soft, warm contemporary tone that serves him well on ballads, at which he, unlike many of his colleagues, excels. Yet, because Wynton, prodigious as he is, earned so much attention before Branford had an opportunity to expose his ability to the national jazz audience, Branford is something of a paradox: well-known, but a sleeper nonetheless.
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