Marcus Johnson - In Person: Live at Blues Alley (2002)

There's something to be said about a live performance in that if the musicians are up to scratch, you are in for one helluva ride. This is the case here with Marcus Johnson and his group giving everything they got, and more! The music flows tightly with every participant playing with an understanding of each others "space", ably supporting the performance to make this arguably one of the best "live" performances ever recorded. The intense energy available on this release is rarely paralleled and second only to "being there". Suffice it to say that I am envious of the few that were "there" when this recording was being made.

Marcus is a gifted musician and arranger, and exceeds his abilities when playing "live" because he has great feel for the music. Spontaneous solos from all band members contribute greatly to the total experience of the performance which will leave parts of your body in an uncontrollable motion, including your heart.

The "audiophile" community may frown over the sonic characteristics of this release, but the performance here far exceeds such expectations and is more than adequate to deliver the enjoyment of a truly wonderful presentation of musicians who understand each other, playing with heart and soul without compromise yet with a controlled discipline that makes music what it really should be.

I really can't "tag" this as Smooth Jazz but more a "live" performance of great Jazz being played by musicians at the top of their game. And it's available for all of us to enjoy. An absolute essential for anybody who just loves great music. ~ Gary Proctor