Synopsis

Branford Marsalis performs "Makin' Whoopee" onstage before a seated audience. The video keeps its focus on the live jazz setting, presenting Marsalis and his saxophone as the central attraction rather than building a narrative around the song. Concert-style coverage emphasizes the exchange between performer and audience, while the arrangement gives the performance an intimate, traditional club feel.

Factoids & Trivia

• The recording comes from Marsalis' 1989 album "Trio Jeepy," a trio session featuring bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts.

• "Makin' Whoopee" was written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn. "Trio Jeepy" includes both a brief 47-second version and a longer 9-minute reprise.

• The album was recorded January 3-4, 1988, at Astoria Studios in New York City, more than a year before its release.

• The video became the first music video shown when VH1 Smooth launched on August 1, 1998.

• "Trio Jeepy" was nominated for the 1989 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group.