Brisbane welcomes a musical preacher from the southern ministry of jazz
You don’t have to travel to New York to hear the best jazz band in the world because it is coming to Brisbane. You do not want to miss this, writes Phil Brown
It’s appropriate that Marcus Printup’s first musical experience was hearing the fiery gospel music his parents sang in church when he was growing up in Georgia in the US. Because this musician has gone on to spread his own gospel around the world, playing trumpet and touring with the acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, which is based in New York City.
There’s a religious fervor among jazz fans internationally and Brisbane has a burgeoning jazz scene of its own with thousands of rabid fans. Those fans will be thrilled that Printup and the orchestra will be doing two shows at QPAC September 4 and 5.
The first show, All Jazz is Modern will showcase the exceptional artistry of the orchestra and the genius of jazz master Duke Ellington. The second will feature the music of jazz royalty including music by Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie (another trumpeter) and Dave Brubeck.
The orchestra is also doing a student concert while they are here and some jazz workshops and QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas paid tribute to them “generously sharing their time and talent with young Queensland musicians while they are here”.
It’s all part of their mission, spreading the gospel … of jazz.
Their mission statement states that the band wants “to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy”.
You might like
“We believe jazz is a metaphor for democracy” the statement reads. “Because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression. Because jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others.”
It’s not a religion but it’s close.
And that makes Marcus Printup, 56, a musical preacher and when I chat to him from his Melbourne hotel room, where he has been playing his trumpet on mute, he doesn’t mind that analogy at all.
“What I do is certainly more than just a paid gig,” Printup says. “Bringing our art form to other countries and feeling the love and warmth is wonderful. And this orchestra is very special and all fifteen musicians can improvise to a high level and we all get at least one solo a night.”
The orchestra, which is really a jazz big band, is touring the country led by world renowned fellow trumpeter (there are four in the band) and nine-time GRAMMY Award-winner Wynton Marsalis. He’s the first jazz musician to win the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music and says that jazz “reveals the best of American culture with its virtuosity, diversity, soulfulness and an embracing spirit under all circumstances”.
Jazz was born in America, in New Orleans 100 years ago. It has African and European roots but has become a distinctly American form and that’s something Marcus Printup is proud of despite some of the strange things going on in his homeland today.
Stay informed, daily
He’s from Georgia, where the Trump court drama has been playing out recently and it would be hard not to mention that. So, I do. He thinks about it for a moment.
“I’m not free to express my political opinions about that,” he says. “But I hope justice is served.”
Conyers, where he hails from, is actually a suburb of Atlanta. They are proud of him there and they hold an annual Marcus Printup Day every August 22 to celebrate this famous son who now lives in New Jersey.
Printup’s wife Riza is a harpist and they have played and recorded together. Their album gentle Rain came out in 2020.
“Riza has played with us a few times and she also collaborate with others” Printup says. “She played with Lady Gaga at Carnegie Hall.”
Printuip says he has been touring for 30 years and he enjoys it and says he is looking forward to Brisbane. “I hear it’s nice and warm there,” he says.
But he acknowledges that one day it may be time to stop globetrotting.
“It’s going to be time to pass the torch one day,” he says. “But right now, my fire is burning bright.”
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis September 4 and 5, Concert Hall, QPAC
qpac.com.au
