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Scenes In The City (1983) introduces the work of Branford Marsalis as a leader. Branford, the saxophonist among the New Orleans Marsalises, has received less than his due because he shares his surname with a certain young trumpet player.

This record should rectify that situation, for Branford Marsalis is one of the very best saxophonists of his generation. He swings aplenty; plays long, florid lines rich in melodic material and rhythmic invention, possesses a soft, warm contemporary tone that serves him well on ballads, at which he, unlike many of his colleagues, excels.

Yet, because Wynton, prodigious as he is, earned so much attention before Branford had an opportunity to expose his ability to the national jazz audience, Branford is something of a paradox: well-known, but a sleeper nonetheless. – Music on Vinyl

Branford Marsalis's debut as a leader is ambitious yet consistently successful. On "Scenes of the City," his narrative is in the same spirit of some of Charles Mingus's recordings of the 1950s. Otherwise the music is in the modern mainstream vein with Marsalis (on tenor and soprano) hinting strongly at Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane, along with a touch of Sonny Rollins. The backup crew includes such notable young lions as pianist Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Kirkland, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummers Jeff "Tain" Watts and Marvin "Smitty" Smith in addition to bassist Ron Carter. It's an impressive start to a notable career. – allmusic

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