Recorded around the time Marsalis became the leader of The Tonight Show band, this CD is a blues album cut by a jazz quartet. Marsalis claims his goal was to reclaim "the folk and peasant aspects of black society that most jazz people disassociate themselves form as quickly as possible." It's a noble, but uneven attempt. However, it has Kenny Kirkland on piano, so it can't be a bad album. Kirkland was one of those rare musicians that raised the musicianship of all around him. He is missed.
The album won a Grammy Award in the category of Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Tracks: I prefer the more straight-ahead blues tunes here: B.B's Blues (with a guest spot from B.B. King, natch), Rib Tip Johnson (you don't often hear blues on soprano sax), and Mabel (with John Lee Hooker). There a few tracks that are more in the post-bop vein, which I don't care for as much. The first half of the CD is much better than the second half.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I love the title of this CD and say it almost every time someone repeats themselves to me.
Previously revisited for the blog:
Romances for Saxophone (1986)
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