| Renaissance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1987 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | Delfeayo Marsalis | |||
| Branford Marsalis chronology | ||||
| ||||
Renaissance is an album by the American musician Branford Marsalis, released in 1987. [1] [2] It peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Traditional Jazz Albums chart. [3] Marsalis supported the album with a North American tour. [4]
The album was produced by Delfeayo Marsalis. [5] Branford Marsalis played tenor and soprano saxophones. [6] Tony Williams played drums; Bob Hurst played bass. [7] [8] "St. Thomas" is a version of the Sonny Rollins song performed solo by Marsalis. [9] "The Peacocks" was written by Jimmy Rowles; Herbie Hancock played piano on the track. [10] "Lament" was composed by J. J. Johnson. [11]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Los Angeles Times | [9] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD | [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [12] |
| Windsor Star | A− [13] |
The Washington Post praised the "gorgeous arrangement of Jimmy Rowles' 'The Peacocks', which deftly combines Marsalis' sinuous soprano sax and pianist Herbie Hancock's impressionistic colors." [7] The St. Petersburg Times deemed Renaissance "a straight-ahead, acoustic jazz album," writing that "Branford is perhaps a bit more facile on soprano but his tenor playing is hearty and nimble." [8] The Globe and Mail determined that "the saxophonist's melodic, laid-back approach gives his solos a graceful, coasting quality and the casualness is endearing." [14] The Windsor Star stated that "Marsalis and pianist Kenny Kirkland keep a firm grip on developing solos in shapely fashion, a highstepping but sinewy dance." [13]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Just One of Those Things" | |
| 2. | "Lament" | |
| 3. | "The Peacocks" | |
| 4. | "Love Stone" | |
| 5. | "Citadel" | |
| 6. | "The Wrath (Structured Burnout)" | |
| 7. | "St. Thomas" |
Herbert Jeffrey Hancock is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the post-bop sound. In the 1970s, Hancock experimented with jazz fusion, funk, and electro styles, using a wide array of synthesizers and electronics. It was during this period that he released perhaps his best-known and most influential album, Head Hunters.
James George Hunter, known professionally as Jimmy Rowles, was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer. As a bandleader and accompanist, he explored multiple styles including swing and cool jazz.
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