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The theme song for Rosewood is a cool, studied, country blues-flavored tune with Cassandra Wilson exploiting the husky tones of her bottom range. Along the way, Marsalis throws in some solo piano music; some bluegrass -- a dignified folk ballad and reel for fiddler Mark O'Connor; some fine swing violin from the then-88-year-old marvel Claude Williams; music for gospel choir and Shirley Caesar; and handkerchief-waving New Orleans street music (the traditional "Sing On"). There are brief atmospheric cues for big band: the moody "Eyes Around the Corner" is an obvious homage to Miles Davis and Gil Evans; "Morning Song" -- with Karen Briggs on violin -- could almost be an Ellington outtake with Ray Nance. Marsalis' house players from Lincoln Center also receive sporadic room to ruminate, as does Marsalis' own eloquent horn ("After the Dead," a lonely solo surrounded by a halo of reverb, is especially moving).
CONDITION: NEW! Punched UPC!
TRACK LISTINGS
1 Rosewood
2 Mr. Mann
3 Sylvester's Rag
4 Gentler Times
5 Gossipin' Hens
6 Sunday Blessing
7 I Hear a Knockin' Version
8 Go, Possum, Go
9 Eyes Around the Corner
10 Sing On
11 Morning Song
12 I Hear a Knockin' Version
13 If I Hold On
14 Elgin Mills
15 Rattlesnake Tail Swing
16 Dark Heart Beat
17 Fire in the Night
18 Porch Whiskey
19 To Higher Ground
20 After the Dead
21 Rosewood
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