The Majesty of the Blues

The Majesty of the Blues is an album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis that was released in 1989.

The Majesty of the Blues
Studio album by Wynton Marsalis
Released	June 13, 1989
Recorded	27 October & 28 October 1988
Studio	RCA Studio A
Genre	Jazz
Length	59:57
Label	Columbia
Producer	Steven Epstein, George Butler
Wynton Marsalis chronology
Works by Husa, Copland, Vaughan Williams, and Hindemith (1989) The Majesty of the Blues (1989) Crescent City Christmas Card (1989)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Rolling Stone	[1]
Allmusic	[2]

Background

The first two selections on the album are played by the Wynton Marsalis Sextet.

The remaining three tracks (side B on the original LP release), a set entitled "New Orleans Function", feature the sextet with additional New Orleans musicians in a style influenced by the traditional New Orleans brass band. This section mirrors a traditional jazz funeral, with a dirge-like first selection ("The Death of Jazz"), then a spoken word section ("Premature Autopsies", an essay by Stanley Crouch performed by Jeremiah Wright) and preached like a minister at a graveyard, and a second line number ("Oh, But on the Third Day – Happy Feet Blues").

Track listing

All tracks are written by Wynton Marsalis except where noted.

Side A (The Wynton Marsalis Sextet)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Majesty of the Blues (The Puheeman Strut)"	15:06
2.	"Hickory Dickory Dock"	9:06

Side B (The New Orleans Function)

No.	Title	Length
3.	"The Death of Jazz"	12:39
4.	"Premature Autopsies (Sermon)" (Marsalis, Stanley Crouch)	16:22
5.	"Oh, but on the Third Day (Happy Feet Blues)"	6:44

Personnel

The Wynton Marsalis Sextet

• Wynton Marsalis – trumpet
• Todd Williams – tenor and soprano saxophones
• Wessell Anderson – alto saxophone
• Marcus Roberts – piano
• Reginald Veal – double bass
• Herlin Riley – drums

The New Orleans Function

Composed of the Wynton Marsalis Sextet and the following:

• Wynton Marsalis – second trumpet and plunger mute
• Teddy Riley – first trumpet
• Freddie Lonzo – trombone
• Michael White – clarinet
• Danny Barker – banjo

Technical personnel

• Steven Epstein – producer
• George Butler – executive producer
• Tim Geelan – engineer
• Dennis Ferrante – assistant engineer

References

1. "Wynton Marsalis: Majesty of the Blues". Rock's Back Pages. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
2. Yanow, Scott. "The Majesty of the Blues". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 September 2018.

External links

• "The Majesty of the Blues" on WyntonMarsalis.org