Saw Wynton and LJO in San Antonio

[Soul Stream]

Don't know if any of my fellow Texans saw their swing through the Lone Star State, but I got a chance to see them Fri. night in San Antonio.

They came out with an arrangement of "Free For All." So I was pretty excited from the beginning. The show was a good one overall, but never really got off the ground it seemed. One thing seemed obvious, and even Wynton made an allusion to this....Ryan Kysor is a baaaddd car, more the trumpeter that Wynton is. THAT shouldn't have surprised me I guess. But not really having heard a ton of Marsalis records...well, I guess I thought the hype had some validity to it.

Wynton seemed out-soloed by pretty much everyone in the band. It was really odd. Maybe an off night, or maybe that's the way it is. Anyway, I was more impressed with....Walter Blanding Jr. (that cat is bad), Ryan Kysor, the Bari player (forget his name), Herlin Riley (WOOOWWW), and last but certainly not least, Warmdaddy Anderson (HE"S the cat!!!) among others. Great band.

I was surprised...Wynton didn't really talk much or solo much. Not the enthusiastic showman I pictured. Maybe he was tired.

Anyway, great band and I really enjoyed what I saw, although it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The sound/lights in the Theatre I saw it at weren't very good, so that may have something to do with it. But kind of a cursery show it seemed.

Edited October 6, 2003 by Soul Stream

[couw]

it really took me quite some time to realise you were not referring to Ms Lopez...

repeat after me couw: El Jay Ow, not Jay-Lo :rsly:

[Joe G]

Those guys you mentioned are all great players, Mike. We've been fortunate to have some contact with them (excepting Kysor) through MSU. BTW, who was playing bass--was it Rodney Whitaker?

[Big Al]

And they "swing" thru here (term used very loosely) tonight. Wynton's smug smarmy mug has been plastered in every newspaper since the event was announced. I hope, for Soul Stream's sake, that they played a less expensive venue in SA than they'll play here in the 'plex: Bass Hall, where if I'm not mistaken, the cheapest seat is around $45!!! Now THAT'S bringing jazz to the people for ya.

[Soul Stream]

Those guys you mentioned are all great players, Mike. We've been fortunate to have some contact with them (excepting Kysor) through MSU. BTW, who was playing bass--was it Rodney Whitaker?

I'll have to try and find my program. It was somebody I didn't know right off the bat. But, boy, he was one of the best things about the band. He REALLY was in the pocket all night and walked hard. A younger guy with a latin-sounding name...

The gig in SA was $25 bucks and I was on the 14th row, so it was all good. My mother bought the tickets and asked me to go, so I happily obliged and was glad I finally got to see and hear what all the fuss was about.

If you ever wondered what it would sound like if Louis Armstrong were on "Free For All" instead of Freddie Hubbard....well...I could tell you.

Edited October 8, 2003 by Soul Stream

[Jim Alfredson]

Ryan Kisor is a great player. You should pick up his Criss Cross dates, especially the older one with Sam Yahel on organ... it's burnin'. There's another one that just came out that I haven't heard yet, but I bet it's just as good.

Walter Blanding is a fantastic player. Remember my Album of the Week pick? It was his Criss Cross record.

Was Wycliffe Gordon with them? The trombonist? He's the MAN! He has a new record with Sam Yahel on it (on... you guessed it... Criss Cross as well) that I HAVE to pick up. We've been thinking of asking him to be on our next record.

BAD dude!