1991 · Album
Standard Time Vol. 2: Intimacy Calling
Recorded 1990 · Columbia Records · Produced by Wynton Marsalis and Robert Himmelberger
Hard Bop Swing Beneath a Ballad's Surface
Marsalis swings hard here—this is not the quiet album its subtitle might suggest.
Standard Time Vol. 2 arrives as a record that rewards actual listening over assumption. The subtitle Intimacy Calling could fool you into expecting a set of soft, introspective ballads, but that's only part of the picture. The opening and closing tracks nod to New Orleans tradition, sure, but the bulk of this album is something closer to hard bop—music with real swing and forward motion, the kind that doesn't sit back and whisper.
Marshalis sounds genuinely engaged here, which matters. AllMusic reviewer Scott Yanow noted that the trumpeter is heard in excellent form across most selections, particularly praising how his tone makes the ballads worth hearing and how his unusual choice and placement of notes keeps the music stimulating. That's the key to what works: even when the tempo slows, there's intelligence at work, not just mood. Phil Freeman's take for Burning Ambulance pinpointed the record's real identity—it's particularly indebted to the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet, which means you're getting music that knows its hard bop history and wears it without apology.
This sits in the middle of Marsalis's career, neither a breakthrough nor a late-period statement. It's a solid record that proved he could deliver on a specific idea without compromising the swing. The album reached number 1 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, which meant it found an audience, though it never crossed over to mainstream radio success. That's fine—it wasn't made for that. If you're already familiar with Marsalis and want to hear him navigate real jazz standards with conviction, this delivers.
Who's playing
Reginald Vealbass
Marcus Robertspiano
Todd Williamstenor saxophone
Wessell Andersonalto saxophone
Wynton Marsalistrumpet
Herlin Rileydrums
Where next?
More by Wynton Marsalis
Hot House Flowers 1984
Black Codes (From The Underground) 1985
J Mood 1986
Standard Time Vol. 3: The Resolution Of Romance 1990
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
