At Kennedy Center, Marsalis's 'Abyssinian' makes musical and human connections

By just about any standard, Wynton Marsalis's "Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration" is a huge work. Vast in scope and mighty in forces, it's a journey through the history of African American music, weaving everything from New Orleans blues to hard-driving bop into a seamless whole. From a musical standpoint it's a spectacular achievement, and the rafter-shaking, two-hour performance at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday, presented by the Washington Performing Arts Society, was a must-hear ev...