Eternal finds saxophonist Branford Marsalis in a contemplative mood performing a mix of original and standard ballads with his usual quartet of pianist Joey Calderazzo, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.
The title track, written for his wife Nicole, is a hushed and cerebral affair, but never feels anything but warm.
Similarly, the lead-off track, "The Ruby and the Pearl," contains the faint blush of Ellington-ian exoticism and "Gloomy Sunday" brings to mind the rumbling and atmospheric late-'60s work of longtime Marsalis touchstone John Coltrane.
The album, his second solo outing for his Marsalis Music label, is dedicated in memory to a list of people one can only assume were as influential musically on Marsalis as emotionally.
Among them are bassist Malachi Favors, drummer Elvin Jones, saxophonist Steve Lacy, and the one and only Ray Charles.
Their spirits are palpable here as Marsalis and his band have clearly documented a handful of quietly beautiful and deeply moving performances.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ruby and the PearlRay Evans, Jay Livingston | Branford Marsalis | Play | 08:53 | 20 MB | 42 MB |
| 2 | Reika's LossJeff "Tain" Watts | Branford Marsalis | Play | 07:51 | 18 MB | 43 MB |
| 3 | Gloomy SundayLászló Jávor, Sam M. Lewis, Rezsö Seress | Branford Marsalis | Play | 12:43 | 29 MB | 63 MB |
| 4 | The Lonely SwanJoey Calderazzo | Branford Marsalis | Play | 09:04 | 20 MB | 49 MB |
| 5 | Dinner for One Please, JamesMichael Carr | Branford Marsalis | Play | 08:00 | 18 MB | 40 MB |
| 6 | MuldoonEric Revis | Branford Marsalis | Play | 04:13 | 9 MB | 17 MB |
| 7 | EternalBranford Marsalis | Branford Marsalis | Play | 17:42 | 40 MB | 96 MB |
| 8 | The Lonely SwanJoey Calderazzo | Branford Marsalis | Play | 09:04 | 20 MB | 49 MB |
| 9 | MuldoonEric Revis | Branford Marsalis | Play | 04:13 | 9 MB | 17 MB |
| 10 | The Ruby and the PearlRay Evans | Branford Marsalis | Play | 08:53 | 20 MB | 42 MB |
| 11 | Gloomy SundaySamuel M. Lewis | Branford Marsalis | Play | 12:43 | 29 MB | 63 MB |
| 12 | Dinner For One Please JamesMichael Carr | Branford Marsalis | Play | 08:00 | 18 MB | 40 MB |
| 111 mins | 255 MB | |||||
| 111 mins | 566 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greg Calbi | Mastering |
| 2 | Joey Calderazzo | Composer, Main Personnel, Musician, Piano |
| 3 | Michael Carr | Composer |
| 4 | Michael Carr | Composer |
| 5 | Ray Evans | Composer |
| 6 | Rob "Wacko" Hunter | Engineer, Mixing |
| 7 | László Jávor | Composer |
| 8 | Arnold Levine | Art Direction, Design |
| 9 | Sam M. Lewis | Composer |
| 10 | Samuel M. Lewis | Composer |
| 11 | Jay Livingston | Composer |
| 12 | Branford Marsalis | Audio Production, Composer, Main Personnel, Musician, Primary Artist, Producer, Saxophone |
| 13 | Eric Revis | Bass, Bass Instrument, Composer, Main Personnel, Musician |
| 14 | Rezsö Seress | Composer |
| 15 | Sarah Lainie Smith | Art Producer |
| 16 | Roderick Ward | Production Coordination |
| 17 | Jeff "Tain" Watts | Composer, Drums, Main Personnel, Musician |
| 18 | Rafi Zabor | Liner Notes |
Branford Marsalis
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |