Wynton Marsalis - Hot House Flowers (1984)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

In which a 22 year old Marsalis and his quintet play jazz standards accompanied by strings. I enjoy hearing standards and Marsalis and crew plays them beautifully, if not a bit conservatively. However, I don't care much for the string arrangements here which, to my ears, are sometimes so needlessly dissonant that it sounds like the quintet and orchestra aren't playing the same songs. The quintet, including brother Branford, Ron Carter, and Kenny Kirkland, is tight and might have best been left alone, maybe? Maybe I was used to hearing the quality arrangements of Linda Ronstadt's albums back in '84. It's not a bad album, I'd just rather hear Black Codes (From The Underground) or J Mood from this time period.

The album's title cut, one of two Marsalis originals on the album, won the Grammy award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist and was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition.

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "Their success here, as before, leaves little room for criticism."
• CashBox: "The cuddling-by-the-fireplace album of the year"
• High Fidelity: "utterly bloodless and safe"
• Musician: "a breakthrough record"
• Downbeat (★★): "the strings are a bore, and furthermore, soloists play as if bored by them."
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★½
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #90
• Billboard Jazz: #1
• Billboard R&B: #53
• CashBox: #66
• CashBox Jazz: #2

Tracks: The more successful tracks are For All We Know, When You Wish Upon A Star, Hot House Flowers, and I'm Confessin' (That I Love You).

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I waited two years to buy this album. Black Codes (From The Underground) was my favorite Marsalis at the time (might still be) and I was afraid that this might not measure up. Finally ordered the tape in a Columbia House "deal." Listening to it takes me right back to room 270 in Berry Hall at a time when I was trying to emulate Wynton's playing in many ways, much to the chagrin of my below-average trumpet professor.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Two Men with the Blues (2008)	Crescent City Christmas Card (1989)
Live at The Village Vanguard (1999)	Baroque Music for Trumpets (1988)
Marsalis Plays Monk (1999)	Marsalis Standard Time, Vol. 1 (1987)
In Gabriel's Garden (1996)	Carnaval (1987)
Joe Cool's Blues (1995)	J Mood (1986)
Baroque Duet (1992)	Black Codes (1985)
Uptown Ruler (1991)	Baroque Music for Trumpet (1984)
Tune In Tomorrow (1990)	Trumpet Concertos (1983)