Wynton Marsalis: Sister Cheryl

Generally when the drummer contributes a composition to the date, it comes dressed in meager threadsa few chords stitched together, with only enough substance to support a percussion solo. But on Wynton Marsalis's debut date as a leader, Tony Williams offers up a great jam tune, his medium-tempo "Sister Cheryl." Wynton takes the lead solo, and tosses out short, choppy phrases that snap and popall with that big and beautiful 'early Marsalis' tone. This section alone would earn high marks for the track. But brother Branford offers a very smart soprano solo. He also starts with little phrases, but they get longer and more polytonal in the second eight bars, and before closing out the chorus, Branford is dancing with long loping lines. I hated to hear this solo endif you listen closely you can hear me begging my CD player to give the saxophonist another chorus. I guess I should be content with 7½ minutes of "Sister Cheryl"; but I can't help asking: "Cheryl, are there any more at home like you?"