By personal tastes, I prefer Wynton's music to brother Branford. I'm very proud of Branford for getting the job on The Tonight Show. That's well-deserved exposure. I just find Wynton more experimental and interesting.

CITI Movement (1993)

This piece is a 2 CD set. I originally got it on cassette; I found it to be a very inspiring work for my writing.

Historically, CITI Movement was a work commissioned by the esteemed New York-based modern dance company, Garth Fagan's Bucket Dance Theater. It was composed as musical accompaniment to a full dance performance.

For this work, Wynton brought together a septet of some of the best of this generation's Jazz musicians: Wynton himself (trumpet); Todd Williams (soprano & tenor saxophones); Wes Anderson (alto saxophone); Wycliffe Gordon (trombone); Eric Reed, Marcus Roberts (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Herlin Riley (drums). This septet produced an amazing work.

It's hard to describe this work, but I'll try: think of classic Frank Sinatra musicals set in an art deco city. Think of the most romanticized interpretation of New York that you can. CITI Movement evokes that type of feeling.

I find this piece great for my writings. Whenever I reach a creative block, I'll play CITI Movement, and let the sounds of a great city inspire me. With my love of film noire-styled works, it helps a great deal.

Last updated July 19, 1998