关于“神奇时刻”，这是Marsalis进入Blue Note的首张专辑，也是继1985年《Black Codes(From the Underground)》专辑以来，第一张完全以个人创作为主的作品。专辑中找来了歌手Dianne Reeves与Bobby McFerrin各唱了一首曲子。Reeves的《Feeling of Jazz》表现杰出，然笔者觉得歌手表现稍过，有反客为主的模样；至于McFerrin的《Baby，I Love You》则稍显漫不经心，似乎谦些了些。倒是标题曲《The Magic Hour》，从Marsalis开始所有演奏乐手一字排开，玩出了让听众击节叫好的火力放送。十三分钟的演出包含了爵士乐从头到尾的历程，野心十足，钢琴手Eric Lewis的表现令人侧目。笔者建议聆听此专辑时从此曲开始，再听首轨Dianne Reeves的表现时就不会如前述般“反客为主”了，比较能突显Marsalis的音乐力量。 Wynton Marsalis has compiled a remarkable track record as a jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer. He has become the most recognized jazz artist in the world today. He serves as Artistic Director of the prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center and is renowned as a jazz statesman-a role officially recognized in 2001 when United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan proclaimed him an international ambassador of goodwill and appointed him a UN Messenger of Peace. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards and is the first jazz musician ever to be honored with the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in Music (for his epic 1997 recording Blood on the Fields). Wynton Marsalis has produced 33 jazz and 11 classical records, including three certified gold records. Now Wynton Marsalis has joined the roster of legendary jazz label Blue Note Records, reuniting with Blue Note president and music industry veteran Bruce Lundvall, who signed Wynton to his very first record deal in 1980. Marsalis makes his label debut with The Magic Hour, an upbeat, lyrical eight-song outing featuring his remarkable quartet-pianist Eric Lewis, bassist Carlos Henriquez and drummer Ali Jackson -and two special guests, Blue Note label mates Dianne Reeves and Bobby McFerrin. The Magic Hour is Marsalis' first jazz ensemble studio recording since 1999's Marciac Suite. His last album was All Rise, an extended composition for big band, gospel choir and symphony orchestra. "All Rise was such a huge piece involving over two hundred people. I wanted to produce my next recording with a smaller group," says the trumpeter, who settled into Right Track Studios in New York for two days last June to record the new album. "I wanted to restate my basic love of jazz music in a quartet format," says Marsalis.