History of Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center
Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center is a live album, the result of the historic collaboration between legendary blues and rock guitarist Eric Clapton and acclaimed jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The album, released on September 13, 2011, captures the essence of a series of intimate and unprecedented concerts held at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York during April 2011. This project brought together two masters of their respective genres, exploring the common roots of blues and jazz.
The idea for this collaboration arose from the mutual admiration between the two artists. While Eric Clapton is known for his deep roots in British blues and his guitar prowess, Wynton Marsalis is a central figure in the jazz renaissance, famous for his technical mastery and his commitment to the genre’s traditional forms. Together, they set out to pay tribute to the music that brought them together, performing classics of the blues and early jazz with a band that combined talents from both musical worlds.
The band accompanying Clapton and Marsalis included musicians from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, as well as members of Clapton’s own band. The album’s repertoire features covers of songs by figures such as Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Louis Armstrong. The performances are notably different from those at Clapton’s rock concerts, featuring complex arrangements, trumpet solos, and a focus on improvisation that is characteristic of jazz. This album is a testament to the versatility of both artists and their respect for the musical traditions that have influenced their careers.
The Story of Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton
The collaboration between Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton is a meeting of minds between two giants of contemporary music who, despite coming from seemingly different worlds, share a deep respect for the roots of the blues and musical tradition.
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis (born in 1961 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a world-renowned trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and jazz educator. He comes from one of the most prominent families in jazz, being the son of Ellis Marsalis, a distinguished jazz pianist, and the brother of musicians Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason. From a very young age, Wynton demonstrated exceptional talent in both jazz and classical music, leading him to become the only artist to win Grammy Awards in both genres in the same year. As artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he has been a tireless advocate for jazz education and preservation, cementing his status as one of the genre’s most influential figures today.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton (born in 1945 in Ripley, Surrey, England) is one of the most iconic rock guitarists of all time, nicknamed “Slowhand” and known for his virtuosity on the blues guitar. His career spans more than five decades and has included stints with legendary bands such as The Yardbirds, Cream, and Derek and the Dominos, as well as a successful solo career. His music is deeply influenced by blues masters such as Robert Johnson, B.B. King, and Muddy Waters. Throughout his career, he has been an ambassador for the blues, bringing the genre to a massive audience and winning countless awards, including multiple Grammys and the distinction of being the only artist inducted three times into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The collaboration between Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton is a celebration of the intersection between the blues, which shaped Clapton, and jazz, which Wynton Marsalis has championed his entire life. Their meeting on stage at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York was a tribute to the history of American music, demonstrating how two unparalleled talents can find common ground through a shared passion for the blues.
Selected Discography of Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton (selected discography)
- Fresh Cream (with Cream) (1966)
- Disraeli Gears (with Cream) (1967)
- Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (with Derek and the Dominos) (1970)
- 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)
- Slowhand (1977)
- Journeyman (1989)
- Unplugged (1992)
- From the Cradle (1994)
- Riding with the King (with B.B. King) (2000)
- Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center (with Wynton Marsalis) (2011)
Wynton Marsalis (selected discography)
- Wynton Marsalis (1982)
- Think of One (1983)
- Hot House Flowers (1984)
- Black Codes (From the Underground) (1985)
- Live at Blues Alley (1988)
- Standard Time, Vol. 1: From the Studio to the Street (1987)
- The Majesty of the Blues (1989)
- Blood on the Fields (1997)
- Congo Square (with Yacub Addy) (2007)
- He and She (2009)
- Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center (with Eric Clapton) (2011)
Amigos HiFi
At Amigos HiFi, the album Play The Blues Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center is highly regarded by audiophiles for its exceptional recording quality. It is particularly praised for how the album captures the energy and intimacy of the live performance, with a sound fidelity that highlights every detail of the instruments. Reviews on sites like this often praise the clarity of the recording, which allows Marsalis’s trumpet to be perfectly distinguished from Clapton’s guitar, as well as the richness and warmth of the band’s instrumentation. The album is considered a reference track for testing the dynamics and spatiality of an audio system, doing justice to the technical mastery of both artists.