Marcus Roberts - Prayer For Peace (1991)

I rescued this CD from the $1 clearance bin this past summer but waited until the holiday season to give it a spin. I was definitely not disappointed. It's simply Roberts at the piano dealing out 12 classic holiday tunes and two originals in a variety of jazz, blues, stride, gospel, and soulful NOLA styles. And it's as good as one should expect from that description. If you're looking for a little escape from 'the usual' this month, allow me to recommend these quiet but playful takes on some Christmas tunes on solo piano.

The Gavin Report, December 6, 1991, p. 38

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: All the classic holiday tunes are worth a listen. Top tracks include Let It Snow, Silver Bells, Sleigh Ride, and Rudolph. I'm not wild about the inclusion of the two original tracks, Prayer For Peace and Christmas Blues, not because they're bad pieces, but because that's not what I came here for.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Blues For The New Millennium (1997)
The Truth Is Spoken Here (1989)

Marcus Roberts - Blues For The New Millennium (1997)

An interesting, if not schizophrenic release. Calling this a blues album may be a stretch as many styles and influences are represented. Bluesy more than blues. Some tracks feature a simple piano trio (piano, bass, drums) while others utilize an 11 piece ensemble including all sorts of wind instruments. As a personal preference, I could do without the screeching clarinet. The larger ensemble works have an obvious Wynton Marsalis orchestration influence. Both Roberts and Marsalis often strive for a sound based on Ellington - it often sounds like movie music from the '40s, but there's some straight ahead swing and hard bop thrown in, too. If you like Marsalis' output in the late '80s and '90s, you'll like this. While the original compositions are just okay, the disc includes great performances throughout, particularly Roberts on piano and Marcus Printup on trumpet.

Billboard, November 1, 1997, p. 76

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: Did not chart
• Billboard Jazz: #6

Tracks:  I prefer the tunes where the instrumentation is simple and swinging: Anytime Anyplace, When The Mornin' Comes, and Servant Of The People. My least favorite pieces are Whales From The Orient and Express Mail Delivery.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I don't remember how this CD entered my collection, but it got a workout when I went through a "blues phase" a few years back.

Previously revisited for the blog:
The Truth Is Spoken Here (1989)

Marcus Roberts - The Truth Is Spoken Here (1989)

A fantastic solo debut by Marcus Roberts, recorded when he was only 24 years old. I became familiar with Roberts when he took Kenny Kirkland's place in Wynton Marsalis' band for the 1986 album, J Mood. Roberts, who has been blind since birth, plays with an incredible tone and feel that belie his age. The fact that he is surrounded by great musicians (including Marsalis) certainly doesn't hurt. This music would be characterized as hard bop or neo-bop which was trying to make a comeback in the eighties. This CD is recommended, especially for late-night listening.

Press of the time:

• High Fidelity: "a distinguished recording by almost any standard"
• Stereo Review: "one of the best jazz albums I have heard in a very long time"
• Billboard: "strong debut as a leader"
• Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★

As of this writing, Roberts is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Florida State University.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Of the 8 tracks here, 5 are originals, 1 was written by Thelonious Monk, and the remaining 2 are Duke Ellington pieces. Most are excellent, including the opener The Arrival, Blue Monk, In A Mellow Tone, and Nothin' But The Blues. My least favorite track is Country By Choice, but skipping it ruins the continuity of the album, so I play it. Roberts has become known as a talented interpreter of music by Monk and Ellington and it shows here, especially on the beautiful Single Petal Of A Rose.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: About 10 years ago, I was spending a quiet summer evening on a friend's back porch and he had this playing. I thought it sounded like a mid-'80s Wynton Marsalis album and, if that was the case, I couldn't believe I hadn't heard it. He told me it was a Roberts album and then it all made sense. I picked up my copy at Half Price Books in 2005. I can't believe this wonderful CD was in a used bin, but that worked out good for me, didn't it?