From The Plantation To The Penitentiary
PERFORMER: Wynton Marsalis
The CD: “From The Plantation To The Penitentiary”
The latest album by Wynton Marsalis, “From The Plantation To The Penitentiary,” is an impressive statement about the state of this country and the way race plays into it, told from Marsalis’ unique perspective. This is the declaration, by an American who just happens to be black, that our culture is in serious need of repair. He doesn’t just take the easy route and blame the Republicans for keeping down black people. There are parts of this CD that sound like Bill Cosby’s strong words set to music. Everyone comes in for their fair share of the blame, conservatives, liberals, blacks, and he doesn’t shy away from addressing the institutional forces at work.
Lyrically, this is a focused, thought-provoking work. The seven songs all make an impact. Musically, it swings and grooves pretty darned well, too. This is not a pop album, though. It’s Jazz, and if you’re not accustomed to jazz you might find it a bit jarring. It’s more musically challenging for the listener. It’s sort of like when somebody who’s used to drinking Coca Cola or Pepsi gets a taste of a real soft drink like Boylan’s or Moxie. It’s a shock to the system, but well worth broadening one’s taste.
An Amazing Vocalist
On this album Marsalis has discovered an amazing vocalist, 21-year-old Jennifer Sanon, a winner of the Essentially Ellington high school competition, who breathes life into the lyrics with the soul of Lena Horne and the clarity of Keely Smith. The band is rounded out by Walter Blanding on tenor and soprano sax, Dan Nimmer on piano, Carlos Henriquez on bass, and Al Jackson Jr. on drums.
This crew functions as a tight unit, as though they’ve been together for years (they haven’t).The album opens with the longest, and weakest cut, “From The Plantation To The Penitentiary.” This isn’t a bad tune, but at eleven and a half minutes, and with a melody that’s not terribly pretty, it’s not really indicative of the rest of the album. The playing is wonderful, but it’s the only song on the CD that isn’t a real winner. The subject matter is important, and the message pertinent but perhaps it overwhelmed the tune.
After that, however, we discover how incredible Jennifer Sanon really is. On the song “Find Me,” listed as “a modern habanera” in the liner notes, her vocals redefine what female jazz singers are in the modern era. Musically the tune runs the gamut from soft jazz to samba to bebop.
Controversial Lyrics
The next song, a ballad called “Love And Broken Hearts” is a torch song-styled repudiation of the worst elements afflicting black culture, starting out with lyrics strong enough to make Don Imus blush, before settling into a beautiful plea for a return to the classy romance of long-ago eras asking “How did we lose our song? When did we forget our dance?” Sanon is again remarkable, but the entire band shines on this tune, which could become a new standard, if not for the shocking opening lyrics.
“Supercapitalism” is a novelty speed-jazz critique of a materially-obsessed populace. The message is clear, and strong. This also has the trumpet solo that Marsalis’ fans will be lusting after.
A Sermon Set To Music
The standout track, and most impressive vocal on the album comes with the last cut, “Where Y’All At?” The shock is that this song is not sung by Sanon, but by Marsalis himself. And it’s not really sung. His deliver is sort of a cross between a beat poet and a Southern minister. It’s an amazing performance and a searing indictment of all the black activists from the last forty years who abdicated their responsibilities and let their people down.
In its own way, it’s an updated version of Grandmaster Flash’s classic rap “The Message.” This is a sermon set to music, and nobody escapes Marsalis’ wrath. “All you patriots, compatriots, and true blue believers, brilliant thinkers, over-achievers, all you ‘when I was young I was so naive-ers’ y’all started like Eldridge and now you’re like Beaver.”
This tune is striking, with pristine lyrics and a strong hook that draws you right in. This is not an album that spends all its time bashing people. The underlying theme is hope for the future and faith in what America can be. As part of the racial dialogue in the country, this is a worthy opening salvo. With any luck it will succeed in breaking down some of the barriers.
