Branford Marsalis Tickets

The Branford Marsalis Quartet performed at Berklee last night to a packed house. Jazz definitely lives! There were young people and old people, people of different colors, shapes, and sizes all having a blast. The quartet features a new drummer after decades of Jeff "Tain" Watts who has left to lead his own group. Justin Faulkner, Tain's replacement, is a young Berklee student who can provide great color with the drum kit as well as playing in whatever style is appropriate for the quartet at the moment. While the new album Metamorphosen is built around the Thelonious Monk tune, Rhythm-A-Ning, the live show relied more on the Quartet's ability to create a Coltrane sound - especially from Faulkner on drums and Joey Calderazzo on piano and then resolve in a post-Trane, Marsalis sound. Mid-way through the show, Marsalis put his tenor down on its stand began the next tune on soprano, and as Calderazzo started playing the piano, the stand collapsed and the tenor fell over. Marsalis was visibly shaken and it took him - and us - into the next tune to relax, reassure himself that the tenor was undamaged and dig back into the music. Nevertheless it was a great show.

Both my husband and I were very disappointed with the concert last night. We both expected that the featured artist would perform the majority of the concert. Unfortunately, his pianist and drummer individually were featured more than he was. During the first two songs, Marsalis played the intro then went to the back of the stage to have his band perform the majority of the song without him. He did perform two nice songs with his saprano sax that were the best I have heard with the saprano. I will never buy tickets again that has Marsalis as the featured artists - not worth the money but on the other hand his pianist and drummer are...

I just attended the concert just for his famous name, Branford. I had not heard of his music, which worried me. But the songs were great. I hope to buy his CDs if they include the musics they played yesterday.

I wish he were performing a little longer in Boston because his talent is incomparable. The drummer Jeff Watts, at a mere 18-years-old, is beyond impressive. I can't wait for their return!

I wish they would have played all night. They were fantastic!

The young drummer from Berklee , whose name I forget, was truly amazing and energetic.

The opening band was pretty good. Branford and his band were amazing. The theater was first rate.