Eddie Harris & Ellis Marsalis - Homecoming (Spindletop/ELM, 1985)

This post is by Scott and Dan

Eddie Harris (ts); Ellis Marsalis (p)

Recorded September 12, 1985

As the head of a legendary musical family, Ellis Marsalis' own achievements as a musician may sometimes be overlooked. He was born, raised and died in New Orleans, serving more as an educator than a touring jazz artist. His recordings betray his limited performance reputation; they are uniformly excellent and reveal an obvious talent. It's said that the best mentors are those who, despite their personal accolades, chose to direct their expertise toward their protégés. The senior Marsalis is such a mentor.

The idea of pairing of Marsalis with Eddie Harris was brilliant. Although one might expect a congenial musical chat between the two old timers, each song is full of sparks, sometimes sounding combative, but mostly harmonious. "Ethereal Moments" is anything but ethereal, as Harris coaxes Marsalis into some seriously intense playing. The climax on "Deacceleration" is also invigorating. Even the standards receive interesting treatments. "Have You Met Miss Jones" is a stride piano exercise, and on "Out of This World" it sounds like Marsalis plays percussion with one hand and the keyboard with the other, unless there is an unnamed percussionist in the studio. "Zee Blues" closes the set with another high octane workout.

Harris and Marsalis were born one month apart in 1934, and it's clear they share common musical ground. While Harris made his mark in the 1960s with some truly popular jazz albums, Marsalis deferred recording until the late 1970s. Each has made valuable contributions to the music. Both men are no longer with us. 

The ELM reissue in 2009 contains five additional tracks that were recorded in 2009, 13 years after Harris had died. Four of the bonus tracks are piano performances by Marsalis and possibly Jon Batiste, although the tray card notes are ambiguous. "Two Piano Louisiana" certainly sounds like the title of a piano duet, but Batiste is only credited with the closing group number. The final track on the reissue is a group performance including Batiste, Jason Marsalis, and Jason Stewart. 

Listeners have different opinions regarding split sessions and bonus tracks. One may see added value while another may see unnecessary padding. Jason Marsalis, who produced the bonus material, can't be faulted for wanting to showcase his father and his protégé Batiste, but is this the best way to do it?

Regardless, the main meat is in the seven-track dialog between Marsalis and Harris. That's what moves the original Spindletop album into our echelon of favorites of the 80s.