This week, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra welcomes Branford Marsalis, equally at home in the worlds of jazz and classical, in works by Gabriel Fauré and John Williams. Writing for the Chicago Classical Review, critic Lawrence A. Johnson said, “Among the world’s most celebrated saxophonists, Branford Marsalis straddles the jazz and classical genres with enviable style and ease. .. Williams’ engaging score for the film ‘Catch Me If You Can’ is one of his best and most subtle, steeped in the progressive jazz of the period. Drawing from that score, Escapades, a 13-minute mini-concerto for alto saxophone, made a fine vehicle for Marsalis, whose nimble articulation and cool-jazz style fit Williams’ music like a well-tailored glove.”

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PHOTO: Branford Marsalis performs Escapades from the film “Catch Me If You Can,” with the CSO, under Susanna Mälkki. | Todd Rosenberg Photography 2017