The Branford Marsalis Quartet are skillful technicians, but more than that, they project distinct personalities.

Branford Marsalis Quartet
Michael Fowler Centre, March 20

Branford Marsalis means serious jazz, right?

Well, I certainly expected the gig to have a serious tone, but it was more about joyful interaction between four musicians who love playing together letting the audience in on the fun.

The band took the first three tunes to settle, but it was in Hope by pianist Joey Calderazzo that the tone was set. His fairly ho-hum solo ended with an epic flourish just as he saw Marsalis about to start playing. Cue generous applause and the music stops. Ah, says Branford, he “did that stupid thing and everyone thinks it’s over!”.

For the rest of the evening Marsalis and Calderazzo locked together and played off each other. The energy from all the band members was high, but it was 19-year-old drummer Justin Faulkner whose passion and intensity were inscribed in his every movement and expression.

One of the highlights was a Calderazzo ballad, The Last Goodbye. It began with the same flourish that ended his earlier piece after a longish pause during which Marsalis quipped: “OK, Joey, take your time.”

But from there on the atmosphere was subdued. The melody and harmony were simple, but the emotion was exquisite. Marsalis plays beautiful, lyrical, velvety soprano sax and as the ballad continued the hall was still. I looked around to see a few people nodding hypnotically to Eric Revis’ bass pedal, while the majority seemed almost mesmerised.

The atmosphere broke as Marsalis switched to tenor and the quartet leapt into a fast and furious rendition of Monk’s 52nd Street Theme.

As with the Gershwin standard we’d heard earlier this was mischief time. Calderazzo started the musical banter with a few quotes from Charlie Parker’s Yardbird Suite. Then Marsalis really went to town, playing a complete solo of quotes from other well-known tunes.

This escalated into a blistering set of trades between the saxophonist and the pianist, but when that died down the climax came. Faulkner’s drum solo was visceral and driven, yet the barrage of notes each had a clean, controlled sound.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet are skilful (sic) technicians, but more than that, they project distinct personalities.

Branford seems almost the indulgent parent to Joey the comedian; Eric the introvert, solid and dependable; and Justin; all intensity and furious energy like he has been touched by the spirit and is speaking in drums.