Marsalis leads the orchestra in live jazz film score

By Kirk Boxleitner

The celebrated jazz artist Wynton Marsalis took the time to talk to the guide about his upcoming benefit concert for Center this month, in which he will lead a 13-piece jazz orchestra to guide the score in the silent film “Louis” under the direction of Dan Pritzker.

Although the benefit concert in the McCurdy Pavilion on Tuesday, May 27th, Marsalis' first performance for Centrum, he found that a number of musicians with whom he is familiar with took part in Centrum programs, so that he was drawn from the appreciation they had given him.

This concert also marks Marsalis' first public appearance in the northwest of Pacific for 23 years without the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Marsalis also admitted that he tends to provide soundtracks for films, since he only did for six films between 1990 and 2019, alongside “Louis”.

“It's not my strongest suit,” said Marsalis about film Soundtracks.

Marsalis still felt forced to work on “Louis”, partly because of the relationship he developed, in which Marsalis also wrote, arranged and performed original music for Pritzker's film “Bolden” about the historical jazz musician Charles “Buddy”.

Although “Louis” offers a fictionalized report on a 6-year-old Louis Armstrong in New Orleans in 1907, Anthony Mackie, together with Jackie Earle Haley, as a corrupt judge and Michael Rooker, meets a strongly armed hand channel.

Marsalis explained that he was fascinated by “Louis” as a film that “Jazz was born” and at the same time played with the Charlie Chaplin-like conventions of the original silent films.

“I love this early era of jazz,” said Marsalis, who attributed Pritzker to demonstrate an enthusiastic ear for the selection of pieces of music to revitalize the action of the film. “It has a very good musical taste. It is very demanding. Dans creative vision expresses many of my values. I am familiar with its taste and I am not known to bite my tongue if I do not agree with people.”

Marsalis not only estimates that Pritzker shares his affinity for the Americana of the early 20th century, but the musician also accompanied the filmmaker for the “silent film with a modern look” and a considerable knowledge of music history.

“This film is about expressing the American of this music that still has a power and presence,” said Marsalis. “In a way, it is a timeless myth, but it's also about the myth of New Orleans.”

Although Marsalis had already played the score for “Louis” live during his demonstrations on the east coast, he found that the Centrum Benefit concert on May 27 marks the debut of “Louis” on the west coast with a live soundtrack, which means that the orchestra remains lost during the 70-minute term of the film.

“Throughout the time the film plays, the orchestra focuses on meeting its brands,” said Marsalis. “It is not easy.”

Ultimately, Marsalis hopes that films such as “Louis” and his own music can help inspire creativity in other artists by familiarizing them with the historical roots of art forms such as jazz.

Marsalis thanked gratefully to have been part of the communities of jazz and music as a whole.

“If I can have an experience that enriches them, it was worth it,” said Marsalis. It was a blessing to be able to play for so long, and the best advice I could give other musicians would be to listen to the person next to them. I believe in Centrum's mission, so I'm proud to support it. “

What to know:

The event on Tuesday, May 27th, includes both the performance concert at 5 p.m. and the film screening in the McCurdy pavilion as well as the 7:30 p.m. Gala evening dinner and auctions in the fort.