Storytelling and social commentary are among music’s most powerful abilities. Of course, it takes a certain types of composers, songwriters and musicians to bring those qualities to life. Wynton Marsalis is one of those musicians who can do it. His epic piece ‘The Ever Fonky Lowdown”, was released in August of 2020, a contentious election year in America. In it, Marsalis lays out a clear case for why our country is in the state it’s in, both politically and culturally.

The piece is long, as in abut 50 minutes. It’s available only via streaming (all major platforms) but it’s a brilliant work both for it’s music and its message. I encourage you to check this piece out, in small doses if you must.

Almost as good as the music is this 2020 interview with Marsalis, conducted by Bill Maher. I’m not the biggest Maher fan, but Marsalis shows in this interview, why he is an important figure in American life, not just in music.

It takes a few minutes to watch, but is well worth the time.

HERE’S A SAMPLE OF THE EVERY FONKY LOWDOWN

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