Bolden/ soundtrack - jazz

By NARENDRA KUSNUR

Album: Bolden (soundtrack)
Music: Wynton Marsalis
Genre: Old-school jazz
Label: Blue Engine Records
Rating: *****


Many musicologists have described New Orleans composer and cornettist Buddy Bolden (1877-1931) as the father of jazz. Blending ragtine, blues and gospel with a dance flavour, he created a unique sound at the beginning of the 20th century, but had to cut his career short because of schizophrenia. His successors included musicians King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Johnny Dodds, Kid Ory and the iconic Louis Armstrong.

Bolden's biopic, titled Bolden, was released in the US in May 2019, but sadly didn't make it to Indian theatres. Directed by Dan Pritzker, it features Gart Carr in the lead role. The composer had left no recordings and one heard his music through what was played by the next generation. Thus, it was a huge challenge to create a soundtrack for this film. On the one hand, it had to retain the charm of the Bolden era. On the era it had to appeal to today's generation of jazz lovers.

Enter composer-trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, who readily accepted this daunting task. And what a phenomenal job he has done. While he focuses on the cornet (a mellower form of the trumpet), trombone, clarinet and saxophone, he also uses later instruments like guitar and bass in his mix. The sound is brass-heavy and thus captures the magic of the oldeb days.

The Bolden soundtrack is somewhat long, with 26 tracks. To listen to it repeatedly may be demanding for some listeners. But what's creditworthy is the way it mixes vocal and instrumental pieces, and also changes tempo and mood. On its own, each track is a gem, An old school jazz follower is surely in for a bout of nostalgia.

The album's highlights include the opener 'Come On Children', with its trademark New Orleans sound, 'Make Me A Palette On The Floor', featuring Catherine Russell on vocals, the haunting two-part 'Timelessness', the marvellously orchestrated 'Russian Lullaby' and the sing-along piece 'Funky Butt (I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say)', which has vocals by Don Yappie. While Marsalis plays the cornet - and a bit of trumpet - himself, he takes help from two types of clarinets, saxophones and trombones. Ali Jackson's drumming is tight throughout.

Surely, this is a landmark among new jazz releases. Whether you hear it at a stretch or in bits and parts, it's worthy of a careful listen.