Soothing…the first word that comes to mind when describing the sights and sounds of The Last Southern Gentlemen, who performed at the Capitol Theatre on Monday, April 13. When those four men took their positions on stage, I had a feeling I was in for a musical treat. With their southern swagger and Delfeayo Marsalis’ pin-stripe suit and saddle shoes, these talented musicians do not need flash or even a fantastic singing voice–the tunes they produce in a seamless collaboration are simple mesmerizing.
Playing sets with topics that ranged from a hidden love affair to a relationship gone wrong to the theme song from Sesame Street, The Last Southern Gentleman entertained an audience of more than a thousand people with the pure sounds of jazz and the audience seemed to love it.
Delfeayo Marsalis has been playing the trombone since the sixth grade, and it shows. The variation of sound he can produce with one instrument is a gift. He and his father, pianist Ellis Marsalis are a talented duo on their own. The encore of the evening was a vibrant, jazzy tune performed by just them.
John Clayton on double bass is a Grammy Award winner who has been playing since elementary school. His ability to play bass seems effortless. His talents include arranging and composing jazz and classical music and the man never stops smiling.
Smitty Smith is a drum master. Having toured with musicians like Sting and Willie Nelson, Smitty was also the drummer for the Tonight Show during Jay Leno’s tenure. You might say the man knows drums and he can get your foot tapping.
Kudos to JazzSLC for the impressive line-up of performers. Pete Escovedo will be performing Saturday, May 16 wrapping up the current season. If you can’t make it out for the final showing, no need to fret, JazzSLC just released the 2015-2016 line-up, see it here www.jazzslc.com. You will want to get your tickets soon.