Music video by Branford Marsalis Quartet, Kurt Elling performing Upward Spiral EPK. (C) 2016 Marsalis Music, LL. under exclusive license to Sony Music.

The Return (Upward Spiral). Companies, etc. Licensed To – Sony Music – 88985306882. Branford Marsalis Quartet With Special Guest Kurt Elling - Upward Spiral ‎(2xLP, Album, 180). Music On Vinyl, Marsalis Music. Branford Marsalis Quartet, Kurt Elling.

Titans of modern jazz in their own rights, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and vocalist Kurt Elling bring their immense strengths together on their sophisticated and nuanced collaboration, 2016's Upward Spiral. Perhaps not the first time Marsalis has showcased a vocalist on a recording, it is the first time he's worked exclusively with one singer throughout an entire album.

Branford Marsalis (August 26, 1960, New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Upward Spiral is out June 10, 2016.

The song selection shows that these two are at their best when they’re taking jazz to realms where it wouldn’t otherwise travel. An imaginative interpretation of Chris Whitley’s From One Island to Another moves from pensive to stormy, while Elling handles the bossa nova classic Só Tinha de Ser Com Você with such effortlessly playful poise, you’d assume Portugese was his native tongue. For all their virtuosity, the duo’s minimalistic takes on I’m a Fool to Want You and Blue Velvet affirm the disarming power of the understatement. Upward Spiral Branford Marsalis Quartet.

For Marsalis, Upward Spiral is consistent with all of his previous music. My philosophy of jazz is that it should be about strong melodies and a great beat, and every song here has a melody that you can hold in your mind, that you can sing. 180 gram audiophile vinyl. More BRANFORD MARSALIS. It is no secret that the Branford Marsalis Quartet can be as freewheeling off the bandstand as in performance. Saxophonist Marsalis, pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner are each bold personalities with strong opinions, equally intense in both musical and verbal exchanges. The band talks about all kinds of things, many of which are unprintable," Marsalis admits. But we have serious musical debates as well. One of these conversations led to Upward Spiral, the new album with special guest Kurt Elling.

Legendary jazz greats Branford Marsalis and Kurt Elling collaborate for the first time on a full album, Upward Spiral. They ve been talking for a while about making a record together, and finally at the end of 2015 it all came together. They found time to play the new material in the New Orleans Snug Harbor club for four days and then recorded a variety of songs in the studio, all chosen because of their melodic richness and musical quality.

In Elling, however, Marsalis has found one who's every bit his match. The saxophonist and his quartet mates are able to telescope focus toward Elling's warm, strong, and pliant voice, and Elling is able to accentuate the inherently melodic and lyrical qualities in this group's work. The beauty in Marsalis' music isn't cited often enough, as many tend to focus exclusively on the edgier side of his sound. Beauty becomes these musicians. They carry the torch of grace to the heavens in their own inimitable upward spiral. Track Listing: There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York; Blue Gardenia; From One Island To Another; Practical Arrangement; Doxy; I'm A Fool To Want You; West Virgina Rose; Só Tinha de Ser Com Você; Momma Said; Cassandra Song; Blue Velvet; The Return (Upward Spiral). This is not jazz as a personal think tank, where people are only concerned with impressing everyone already inside of the tank with deconstruction and reharmonization. This is the kind of music that should expand our base to include people who would like jazz if it were friendlier. From the minute Kurt started performing with us, it was all good.