I didn’t go to the record store to find romance, but it found me in the new release section. Wynton Marsalis’s new offering Vol.5 – Midnight BLUES Standard is feeling. It’s passion. It’s cool control. The sound of his trumpet is pure and clear and rare and unabashedly romantic. It is not- oh, oh, baby, I have to have you now. It is – oh, oh, baby, I’ll take my time. His is a patient sound that lingers with the listener. Midnight BLUES is a tribute to love, passion, and tenderness. As the notes say, “To remember love is to hear the trumpet and the strings.”

This work inspires visions of a warm spring evening on a balcony above the lights of a city where the only desire is to dance while listening to “I Got Lost in Her Arms” or “It Never Entered My Mind.” The dazzling control Marsalis has over his material and his flawless technique only add to the intimate sound that reminds the listener of the whispering of new lovers. BLUES presents a theme and builds until the resolution in the last track,”The Midnight Blues.” Technically, this is an interesting CD as it was recorded in real time with all the musician present at the Grande Lodge of the Masonic Hall in New York on September 15-18. This “old school” approach gives a sensual aural experience. If you like Midnight BLUES, his Standard Time Vol. 3. The Resolution of Romance with father Ellis is pretty great also.