Blood on the Fields
Encyclopedia
Blood on the Fields is a three-and-a-half-hour jazz oratorio
, by Wynton Marsalis
. It was commissioned by Lincoln Center and concerns a couple moving from slavery
to freedom.
It received the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Music
. However, Marsalis' victory was controversial because according to the Pulitzer guidelines, his work was not eligible. Although a winning work was supposed to have had its first performance during that year, Marsalis' piece premiered on April 1, 1994 and its recording, released on Columbia Records
, was dated 1995. Yet, the piece won the 1997 prize. Marsalis' management had submitted a "revised version" of "Blood on the Fields" which was "premiered" at Yale University
after the composer made seven small changes. When asked what would make a revised work eligible, the chairman of that year's music jury, Robert Ward, said: "Not a cut here and there...or a slight revision," but rather something that changed "the whole conception of the piece." After being read the list of revisions made to the piece, Ward acknowledged that the minor changes should not have qualified it as eligible, but he said that "the list you had here was not available to us, and we did not discuss it."
Oratorio
An oratorio is a large musical composition including an orchestra, a choir, and soloists. Like an opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias...
, by Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
. It was commissioned by Lincoln Center and concerns a couple moving from slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
to freedom.
It received the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Music
Pulitzer Prize for Music
The Pulitzer Prize for Music was first awarded in 1943. Joseph Pulitzer did not call for such a prize in his will, but had arranged for a music scholarship to be awarded each year...
. However, Marsalis' victory was controversial because according to the Pulitzer guidelines, his work was not eligible. Although a winning work was supposed to have had its first performance during that year, Marsalis' piece premiered on April 1, 1994 and its recording, released on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, was dated 1995. Yet, the piece won the 1997 prize. Marsalis' management had submitted a "revised version" of "Blood on the Fields" which was "premiered" at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
after the composer made seven small changes. When asked what would make a revised work eligible, the chairman of that year's music jury, Robert Ward, said: "Not a cut here and there...or a slight revision," but rather something that changed "the whole conception of the piece." After being read the list of revisions made to the piece, Ward acknowledged that the minor changes should not have qualified it as eligible, but he said that "the list you had here was not available to us, and we did not discuss it."
Disc 1
- Calling The Indians Out
- Move Over
- You Don't Hear No Drums
- The Market Place
- Soul For Sale
- Plantation Coffle March
- Work Song (Blood On The Fields)
Disc 2
- Lady's Lament
- Flying High
- Oh We Have A Friend In Jesus
- God Don't Like Ugly
- Juba And A O'Brown Squaw
- Follow The Drinking Gourd
- My Soul Fell Down
- Forty Lashes
- What A Fool I've Been
- Back To Basics
Disc 3
- I Hold Out My Hand
- Look And See
- The Sun Is Gonna Shine
- Will The Sun Come Out?
- The Sun Is Gonna Shine
- Chant To Call The Indians Out
- Calling The Indians Out
- Follow The Drinking Gourd
- Freedom Is In The Trying
- Due North
Personnel
- Wynton MarsalisWynton MarsalisWynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, music educator, and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences...
- Composer, Trumpet, Oratory Vocal - Jon HendricksJon HendricksJon Hendricks is an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is considered one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and replaces many instruments with vocalists...
- Vocal - Cassandra WilsonCassandra WilsonCassandra Wilson is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her...
- Vocal - Miles Griffith - Vocal
- Roger IngramRoger IngramRoger Ingram is a lead trumpet player, educator, and author. He is best known for being the lead trumpet player on the Jazz at Lincoln Center, Harry Connick, Jr., Maynard Ferguson, Ray Charles, and Woody Herman big bands, and his 2008 trumpet textbook, Clinical Notes on Trumpet Playing, and the...
- Lead Trumpet, Oratory Vocal - Marcus Printup - 2nd Trumpet, Oratory Vocal
- Russell GunnRussell GunnRussell Gunn is an American contemporary Neo-bop jazz musician, known primarily for his trumpet playing and Grammy nominated recording, Ethnomusicology vol. 1....
- 3rd Trumpet, Oratory Vocal - Ron WestrayRon WestrayRonald Kenneth Westray, Jr. is an American jazz trombonist, composer, and educator. He holds a B.A. from South Carolina State University and a Master of Arts degree from Eastern Illinois University...
- Lead Trombone, Oratory Vocal - Wayne Goodman - 2nd Trombone, Oratory Vocal
- Wycliff Gordon - Trombone and Tuba, Oratory Vocal
- Wes AndersonWessell AndersonWessell "Warmdaddy" Anderson is an American jazz alto saxophonist.Anderson grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, and played jazz early on at the urging of his father, who was a drummer. He played in local clubs from his early teenage years, and studied at the Jazzmobile workshops with...
- Lead Alto Saxophone, Oratory Vocal - Victor GoinesVictor GoinesVictor Goines is a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist and received his Masters in Music at Virginia Commonwealth University. Goines is the director of jazz studies at the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. He previously served as first artistic director of the Juilliard School's jazz...
- Tenor, Soprano Saxophones, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet, Oratory Vocal - Walter Blanding - Soprano Saxophone, Oratory Vocal
- James CarterJames Carter (musician)James Carter is an American jazz musician.Carter was born in Detroit, Michigan and learned to play there before moving to New York City. He has been prominent as a performer and recording artist on the jazz scene since the mid-1990s, playing saxophones, flute, and bass clarinet...
- Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet and Bass Clarinet, Oratory Vocal - Michael Ward - Violin, Oratory Vocal
- Eric ReedEric Reed (musician)Eric Scott Reed, , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an American jazz pianist and composer.His group Black Note released several albums in the 1990s.-Biography:...
- Piano, Oratory Vocal - Reginald Veal - Bass, Oratory Vocal
- Herlin RileyHerlin RileyHerlin Riley is an American Neo-bop jazz drummer. Along with other notable musicians such as Wynton Marsalis and Wessel Anderson, he is a member of the New York jazz group, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra....
- Drums and Tambourine, Oratory Vocal