Beneath The Underdog is an original composition by Branford Marsalis, written for the soundtrack of Spike Lee's 1990 film Mo' Better Blues. The title shares its name with Charles Mingus's celebrated autobiography, though the musical connection, if any, is not documented. The tune was first recorded by the Branford Marsalis Quartet featuring Terence Blanchard on trumpet, with Kenny Kirkland on piano, Robert Hurst on bass, and Jeff Watts on drums, and released on the Columbia Records album Music From Mo' Better Blues, produced by Delfeayo Marsalis. The composition dates from a prolific period in Marsalis's career during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when he was recording original material for Columbia alongside albums like Renaissance and Crazy People Music. While the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack brought together an exceptional ensemble of musicians and received both critical attention and commercial success, Beneath The Underdog itself has not entered the standard jazz repertoire and remains closely associated with the film. On AllSolos, the tune features solos from the original 1990 soundtrack recording by Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Branford Marsalis on soprano saxophone, and Kenny Kirkland on piano, documenting the interplay of this celebrated working group.
