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Words by Ron Mwangaguhunga Branford Marsalis wears many hats. He is a saxophonist, a film scorer, the first bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the onetime leader of the fusion group Buckshot LaFonque, a master collaborator, and now, as chance would have it, a record label executive. Marsalis' new label, Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Rounder Records, promises to be a showcase for the next generation of jazz greats. How did this visible musician come to the path of the label exec? "Out of necessity, not of desire," replied Branford, with a touch of New Orleans in his voice. "Somebody had to do it, so it might as well be me. Nobody was stepping up to the plate." And that plate was the future of jazz. Just as his older brother Wynton, the public face of Jazz at Lincoln Center, has found himself the caretaker of the history of American jazz, Branford finds himself looking out for the future of the art form. What prompted Branford to split from the relative comfort his former label, Columbia and take on the weight of this calling? "There was no real comfort at Columbia Records," explains Marsalis. "There was a comfort for groups that had the potential for being popular. If you play music that has no chance of being popular, then there really isn't any kind of support base." But Branford is popular by jazz standards. His optimistic style and long serpentine sax solos draw crowds. Branford Marsalis' near infinite legato eighth notes are the stuff of legend. Trained by his father, the famous Ellis Marsalis, who also trained Harry Connick, Jr. as well as his brother, Wynton, Branford is a sort of a big fish in a small pond, namely the American jazz scene. Rounder Records, with the use of existing technology, hopes to widen the circumference of that pond. Branford Marsalis, like most musicians, is a Mac enthusiast. "I have four Macs," Branford tells MacDirectory enthusiastically. How will technology like Macs assist Rounder Records in the execution of its business plan? "MP3 downloads we are not sure about, but probably," replies Branford. "We are going to be selling music online. Hopefully, what I'd like to see is that every musician gets their own sub page on the Marsalis Music site. They will have a forum so that they can communicate. "The traditional model for record distribution does not work for creative records," says Marsalis. "You have to think outside the box, and that's what we are trying to do. We will make the make the music available for sale online as well as at the concerts and in the stores." MacDirectory asked Branford if Rounder would explore opportunities with soundtracks to promote jazz musicians. "With the exception of 'Mo Betta Blues, none of my other soundtracks have done anything to help improve people's awareness of jazz," explains Branford. "I think the best way to promote jazz is to make jazz records and not to present some other scheme because in the reality is that most pop music is temporary. I don't see how it really benefits jazz if you have an artist that sells 150,000 records and 8,000 after that (like much pop). I'd prefer it to be the other way around: 8,000 sales, then 10,000, then 30,000, then 150,000." Touring will also play an important role in the fortunes of Rounder. How important will touring the college campuses be for Rounder Records? "Very important. The only way for people to hear the music. We don't get much play on radios, so touring is the only viable means to communicate the philosophy of the musician to the audience." Branford's recent live concert has also drawn raves. "Live broadcasts are fun." he says of his Summer broadcast on the Trio network. "I don't see why we won't continue." |
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Scenes in the City (Columbia, 1984) marked Branford Marsalis' triumphant debut as a band leader. Branford learned from the best. In the 80s, Branford was an integral part of Miles Davis' band. In many ways, a lot of the legend of Miles Davis is owed to the level of mastery of the band, which mostly went uncredited. "That's what leaders do," explained Marsalis. "I get a lot of credit for things that people in my band do. However I don't go in interviews and say I invented it (laughter). Miles was very good at that. He was pretty overt about it." Indeed he was. Miles Davis, with his wraparound sunglasses and eccentric outfits embodied the cool of jazz. In an era when pop musicians were cashing in and living jet set lives, Davis saw that jazz musicians, more complex artists, were not capitalizing. Behind the scenes, however, great musicians who comprised Miles Davis' band, musicians like Branford Marsalis, toiled without fanfare. "It's amazing how no one questioned him, and everyone bought it," says Branford of his former boss. "His whole funk/fusion era was an idea that was invented by Tony Wilkins. Miles came over and steals his guitar player. John McLaughlin came to America to play with Tony. Miles stole him and said that he invented (jazz fusion) and everybody bought it." But, in the end, Branford Marsalis has grudging respect for the genius of Miles Davis. "He was a very smart man," says Branford, summing up his complex feelings for Davis, "if only he had been as fair as he was smart." Branford is now in Miles Davis' shoes with a quartet of his own. "We are starting to get an original sound and it took ten years -- our piano player died and we had to start all over again. You change one member of the personnel and you are back at square one. We're getting there." "It's different for different groups. It probably would have been sooner if we played with each other all the time, but I was playing with Sting and the other guys were doing other things. But there was no rush on our end." Branford's spiraling sax is in some ways a mirror to his adventurous life. The triumphs he has had on Columbia Records now give way to an as yet uncertain future as the head of Rounder. As one of the most visible jazz saxophonists of the past two decades, does Marsalis wonder about what the future will say about him? "I am not dying to be an innovator," says Branford. "I love playing music. If you are considered an innovator it is something that happens over time. It's not something you do yourself. You could go in the press and say: 'I AM AN INNOVATOR,' but that's just bull. It's the body of work that accrues over a period of time. It might happen after I am dead, or it might not ever happen. Even if it happens, I've enjoyed what I've done, I've enjoyed playing music. I will continue to enjoy playing." In a sense, Rounder Records, like jazz, is going to be an improvisational venture. "Yes," Branford replied, with zest, "that's the joy of it." www.marsalismusic.com |
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