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DEL.ICIO.USNBAF update: Wynton Marsalis at ATL Symphony Hall
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jazz great Wynton Marsalis charmed a capacity crowd at Atlanta Symphony Hall Saturday night during a collaborative performance with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Spano.
Marsalis appeared with Dan Nimmer on piano, Ali Jackson on drums, Carlos Henriquez on bass and Walter Blanding on saxophone. Explaining the interaction between the oft-improvising group, Marsalis said, “It’s like the conversation with your old lady. There’s a lot of subtext.”
He recognized notable audience members including dancer-choreographer Judith Jamison and scholar Cornel West, whom he kidded a bit about his current coiffure.
“His ‘fro is not anywhere on the level it should be,” Marsalis joked, telling his friend, “remember those picks we used to have?
By the way, the gracious Marsalis was too polite to show offense at the steady stream of late-comers, saying only, “I’m just going to talk to y’all until everybody sits down.”
He filled the time taken up by lollygaggers with engaging stories behind the pieces he performed, including “Baby Won’t You Please Come Home” by Charles Warfield and Clarence Williams and “For All We Know” by J. Fred Coots.
Saturday’s performance preceded the National Black Arts Festival’s 20th anniversary gala. We caught up with actor Samuel L. Jackson, a dedicated NBAF supporter who’s on the 20th anniversary host committee, at the cocktail party ahead of time.
“It’s contributed to the cultural and spiritual growth of Atlanta,” he said of the event. “Hopefully we’ll be here for the 30th and 40th year anniversary.”
NBAF executive producer Stephanie Hughley said the festival’s success builds the legacy of civil rights icon Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“It’s all about using culture to bring people together,” she said. “Atlanta is helping realize the dream that Dr. King had.”
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