Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

, and

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or ...

. While primarily known for his work in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

as the leader of the

Branford Marsalis Quartet The Branford Marsalis Quartet is a jazz band. Current members * Branford Marsalis – saxophones *Joey Calderazzo - piano (1999–present) *Eric Revis - bass guitar (1997–present) * Justin Faulkner - drums (2009–present) Past members *Jeff ...

, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque. From 1992 to 1995 he led

the Tonight Show Band The Tonight Show Band is the house band that plays on the American television variety show ''The Tonight Show''. From 1962 until 1992, when the show was known as ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', the band was a 17-piece big band, and w ...

Early life

Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, in

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Breaux Bridge (;Jack A. Reynolds. "Breaux Bridge" entry i"Louisiana Placenames of Romance Origin."LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses #7852. 1942. p. 77. french: Pont-Breaux; frc, Pont-(de)-Breaux ) is a small city in St. Martin Parish, Loui ...

, and raised in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. He is the son of Dolores (née Ferdinand), a jazz singer and substitute teacher, and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor.Stated on ''

Finding Your Roots ''Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'' is a documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS. In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is compiled with ...

'', PBS, March 25, 2012 His brothers

Jason Marsalis Jason Marsalis (born March 4, 1977) is an American jazz drummer, vibraphone player, composer, producer, band leader, and member of the Marsalis family of musicians. He is the youngest son of Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and the late Ellis Marsalis ...

Wynton Marsalis Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, teacher, and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has promoted classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awar ...

, and

Delfeayo Marsalis Delfeayo Marsalis (; born July 28, 1965) is an American jazz trombonist, record producer and educator. Life and career Marsalis was born in New Orleans, the son of Dolores (née Ferdinand) and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music pro ...

are also jazz musicians.

Career

Musical beginnings: 1980–85

In mid-1980, while still a

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cours ...

student, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and baritone saxophone in a large ensemble led by drummer

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

. Other

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

experiences with

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles M ...

and

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...

followed over the next year, and by the end of 1981 Marsalis, on

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

, had joined his brother Wynton in Blakey's

Jazz Messengers The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo that existed for over thirty-five years beginning in the early 1950s as a collective, and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey died in 1990. Blakey led or co-led the group from the o ...

. Other performances with his brother, including a 1981 Japanese tour with

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

, led to the formation of his brother Wynton's first

quintet A quintet is a group containing five members. It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single ...

, where Marsalis shifted his emphasis to soprano and tenor saxophones. He continued to work with Wynton until 1985, a period that also saw the release of his own first recording, ''Scenes in the City'', as well as guest appearances with other artists including

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

and

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...

Expanded output: 1985–95

In 1985, he joined

Sting Sting may refer to: * Stinger or sting, a structure of an animal to inject venom, or the injury produced by a stinger * Irritating hairs or prickles of a stinging plant, or the plant itself Fictional characters and entities * Sting (Middle-eart ...

, singer and bassist of rock band

the Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Police ...

, on his first solo project, ''

The Dream of the Blue Turtles ''The Dream of the Blue Turtles'' is the first solo album by English musician Sting, released in June 1985. The album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200. Five singles were released from the ...

'', alongside jazz and session musicians

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and pop music drummer, producer, arranger and composer. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Sting, Madonna, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Journey, Kate B ...

on drums,

Darryl Jones Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961) is an American bass guitarist. He has been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993. He has also played in bands with Miles Davis and Sting, among others. Career Darryl Jones was born on ...

on the bass and

Kenny Kirkland Kenneth David Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998) was an American pianist and keyboardist. Biography Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years ...

on keyboards. He became a regular in Sting's line-up both in the studio and live up until the release of '' Brand New Day'' in 1999. In 1986, Marsalis formed the

with pianist Kirkland, drummer

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

and bass player Robert Hurst. That year, they released their first album, ''

Royal Garden Blues "Royal Garden Blues" is a blues song composed by Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams in 1919. Popularized in jazz by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band,

''. That lineup of the quartet would go on to release four more albums, the last of which, '' I Heard You Twice the First Time'' (1992), won the

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, Individual or Group. In 1988, Marsalis co-starred in the

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

film ''

School Daze ''School Daze'' is a 1988 American musical comedy-drama film, written and directed by Spike Lee, and starring Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry Fishburne), Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell. Based in part on Spike Lee's experiences a ...

'', also rendering several horn-blowing interludes for the music in the film. His witty comments have pegged him to many memorable one-liners in the film. In 1989, Marsalis played a 30-second cover of "

Lift Every Voice and Sing "Lift Every Voice and Sing" is a hymn with lyrics by James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson (1873–1954). Written from the context of African Americans in the late 19th century, the hymn is a pray ...

" over the opening logos of Lee's film ''

Do the Right Thing ''Do the Right Thing'' is a 1989 American comedy-drama film produced, written, and directed by Spike Lee. It stars Lee, Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, and Samuel L. Jackson, a ...

''. Between 1990 and 1994, Branford played with the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, Folk music, folk, country music, country, jazz, bluegrass music, bluegrass, ...

numerous times, and appeared on their 1990 live album ''

Without a Net ''Without a Net'' is the eighth live album by the Grateful Dead (their twenty-first overall). It compiles performances from October 1989 to April 1990, and was released in September 1990. The album simulates the progression of an actual Grateful ...

''. In 1992, Marsalis became the leader of

on the newly launched ''

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...

'', after

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...

replaced

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...

. Initially, Marsalis turned down the offer, but later reconsidered and accepted the position. He brought with him the three other members of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, who became the Tonight Show Band's pianist, drummer and bass player, respectively. In 1994, Marsalis formed the group Buckshot LeFonque (named after a pseudonym once used by

Cannonball Adderley Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley (September 15, 1928August 8, 1975) was an American jazz alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered for the 1966 soul jazz single "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", whi ...

), a jazz group with elements of

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

and hip-hop. That year, they released their first album, '' Buckshot LeFonque'', which was mostly produced by

DJ Premier Christopher Edward Martin (born March 21, 1966), known professionally as DJ Premier (also known as Preemo), is an American record producer and DJ. He is considered one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. He was half of the hip hop duo ...

. In 1994, Marsalis appeared on the

Red Hot Organization Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...

's compilation CD, '' Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool''. The album, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in African American society, was named Album of the Year by ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

''. In 1995, Marsalis left ''The Tonight Show'', having become unhappy in the role: he disliked that he was supposed to always show enthusiasm, even for jokes he thought were unfunny. He was succeeded as bandleader by guitarist

Kevin Eubanks Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer. He was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short lived ''The Jay Le ...

. In a well-publicized interview soon after leaving, Marsalis said, "The job of musical director I found out later was just to kiss the ass of the host, and I ain't no ass kisser." He also complained that when he did not laugh or smile, some viewers' perception was, "Oh, he’s surly. He hates his boss." When the interviewer asked if Marsalis did hate Leno, Marsalis responded, "Oh, I despised him." He later stated that he did not hate Leno, and that this was a sarcastic response to what he considered "a ridiculous question".

Transition: 1995–2007

In 1997, bassist

Eric Revis Eric Revis (born May 31, 1967) is a jazz bassist and composer. Revis came to prominence as a bassist with singer Betty Carter in the mid-1990s. Since 1997 he has been a member of Branford Marsalis's ensemble. His debut album, ''Tales of the Stutt ...

replaced Hurst in the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Kirkland died the following year, and was replaced by pianist

Joey Calderazzo Joseph Dominick Calderazzo (February 27, 1965) is a jazz pianist and brother of musician Gene Calderazzo. He played extensively in bands led by Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis, and has also led his own bands. Early life Calderazzo was born ...

. The Branford Marsalis Quartet has since toured and recorded extensively. For two decades Marsalis was associated with Columbia, where he served as creative consultant and producer for jazz recordings between 1997 and 2001, including signing saxophonist

David S. Ware David Spencer Ware (November 7, 1949 – October 18, 2012) was an American jazz saxophone, saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. Biography Ware was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. While in high sc ...

for two albums. In 2002, Marsalis founded his own label,

Marsalis Music Marsalis Music is a jazz record label founded by Branford Marsalis in 2002. After 20 years with Columbia, saxophonist Branford Marsalis left to start his own label. Early musicians to the label included Miguel Zenón, a Puerto Rican saxophonist ...

. Its catalogue includes

Claudia Acuña Claudia Acuña (July 31, 1971, Santiago) is a Chilean jazz vocalist, songwriter, and arranger. Biography Born July 3 1971 in Santiago and raised in Concepcion, she was inspired as a child to perform a variety of music, including folk, pop and op ...

Harry Connick Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the Uni ...

Doug Wamble Doug Wamble (born Samuel Douglas Wamble, October 22, 1972) is an American jazz guitarist and vocalist from Tennessee. Biography Wamble grew up Memphis, Tennessee. He was inspired to play guitar after hearing records by Charlie Christian. He e ...

Miguel Zenón Miguel Zenón (born December 30, 1976) is a Puerto Rican alto saxophonist, composer, band leader, music producer, and educator. He is a multiple Grammy Award nominee, and the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship. He als ...

, in addition to albums by members of the Marsalis family. Marsalis has also become involved in college education, with appointments at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

(1996–2000),

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different b ...

(2000–2002), and

North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from b ...

(2005–present). After

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

in 2005, Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., working with the local

Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a Ch ...

, created

Musicians Village Musicians' Village is a neighborhood located in the Upper Ninth Ward in New Orleans, Louisiana. Musicians Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis teamed up with Habitat for Humanity International and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity to create ...

in New Orleans, with the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music the centerpiece.

Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–10

Under the direction of conductor Gil Jardim, Branford Marsalis and members of the Philharmonia Brasileira toured the United States in the fall of 2008, performing works by Brazilian composer

Heitor Villa-Lobos Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the ...

, arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra. This project commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the revered Brazilian composer s death. Marsalis and the members of his quartet joined the

North Carolina Symphony The North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is an American orchestra based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with sixty-six full-time musicians. The orchestra performs in Meymandi Concert Hall and performs occasionally with the Carolina Ballet and the Opera Com ...

for ''American Spectrum'', released in February 2009 by Sweden's

BIS Records BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden. BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings. ...

. The album showcases Marsalis and the orchestra performing a range of American music by

Michael Daugherty Michael Kevin Daugherty (born April 28, 1954) is an American composer, pianist, and teacher. He is influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism. Daugherty's notable works include his Superman comic book-inspired ''Metropolis Sym ...

John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...

Ned Rorem Ned Rorem (October 23, 1923 – November 18, 2022) was an American composer of contemporary classical music and writer. Best known for his art songs, which number over 500, Rorem was the leading American of his time writing in the genre. Althou ...

and Christopher Rouse, while being conducted by

Grant Llewellyn Grant Llewellyn (born 29 December 1960) is a Welsh conductor and music director of the North Carolina Symphony and Orchestre National de Bretagne. Biography Llewellyn was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He began developing his conduct ...

. Marsalis wrote the music for the 2010 Broadway revival of the

August Wilson August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...

play ''

Fences A fence is a barrier enclosing or bordering a field, yard, etc., usually made of posts and wire or wood, used to prevent entrance, to confine, or to mark a boundary. Fence or fences may also refer to: Entertainment Music * Fences (band), an Amer ...

''. On July 14, 2010, Marsalis made his debut with the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...

on Central Park's Great Lawn. Led by conductor

Andrey Boreyko Andrey Boreyko (russian: Андре́й Ви́кторович Боре́йко, Andrey Viktorovich Boreyko, pl, Andrzej Borejko; born 22 July 1957) is a Polish-Russian conductor. He has Polish ancestry on his father's side and Russian ancestry ...

, Marsalis and the

performed

Glazunov Glazunov (; feminine: Glazunova) is a Russian surname that may refer to: *Alexander Glazunov (1865–1936), Russian composer ** Glazunov Glacier in Antarctica named after Alexander * Andrei Glazunov, 19th-century Russian trade expedition leader * An ...

's "Concerto for Alto Saxophone" and Schuloff's "Hot-Sonate for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra." Boreyko, Marsalis and the

Philharmonic An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ce ...

performed the same program again in Vail, CO later that month and four more times at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, NY the following February.

2011–present

In June 2011, after working together for over 10 years in a band setting, Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo released their first duo album titled ''Songs of Mirth and Melancholy'', on Branford's label,

. Their first public performance was at the 2011 TD

Toronto Jazz Festival The Toronto Jazz Festival is a jazz event in Toronto which takes place for 10 days in late June through early July. Unlike the Beaches International Jazz Festival, most of the events are indoors and located throughout the downtown core. The hub of t ...

. In 2012, Branford Marsalis released ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' on deluxe 180-gram high definition vinyl, prior to

Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...

2012 on April 21, 2012. This is the first recording of the Branford Marsalis Quartet with drummer Justin Faulkner, who joined the band in 2009, and was the first vinyl release from Marsalis Music. The album was named

Apple iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

Best of 2012 Instrumental Jazz Album of the Year. Marsalis performed "

The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the b ...

" on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...

Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...

. In 2019 Marsalis released ''The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul'', which he recorded in Australia with his quartet. Marsalis, commenting on the longevity of his band and their approach said, ahead of the album's release: '“Staying together allows us to play adventurous, sophisticated music and sound good. Lack of familiarity leads to defensive playing, playing not to make a mistake. I like playing sophisticated music, and I couldn’t create this music with people I don’t know.”

Personal life

Marsalis lives in

Durham, North Carolina Durham ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the county seat of Durham County, North Carolina, Durham County. Small portions of the city limits extend into Orange County, North Carolina, Orange County and Wake County, North Carol ...

with his wife Nicole and their two daughters. He was raised Catholic.

Awards and honors

* The Branford Marsalis Quartet received a

in 2001 for their album '' Contemporary Jazz''. * In September 2006, Branford Marsalis was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from

. During his acceptance ceremony, he was honored with a tribute performance featuring music throughout his career. * Marsalis won the 2010

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

in the category "Outstanding Music in a Play" and was also nominated for a 2010

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

in the category of "Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre" for his participation in the Broadway revival of

's ''

''. * Marsalis, with his father and brothers, were group recipients of the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award. * In May 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

. * In June 2012, Marsalis, along with friend and fellow New Orleans native

Harry Connick, Jr. Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the Uni ...

, received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by the

Jefferson Awards for Public Service The Jefferson Awards Foundation was created in 1972 by the American Institute for Public Service. The Jefferson Awards are given at both national and local levels. Local winners are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation ...

, for their work in the Musicians' Village of New Orleans. * On March 26, 2013, he received the degree of Doctor of Arts Leadership, honoris causa from

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, (SMUMN) is a private Catholic university with an undergraduate residential college in Winona, Minnesota; graduate and professional programs in Winona, the Twin Cities, and Rochester; and various course deli ...

Instruments and setup

*Soprano: His most famous soprano has been a silver

Selmer Mark VI The Selmer Mark VI is a saxophone produced from 1954 to 1981. Production shifted to the Mark VII for the tenor and alto in the mid-1970s (see discussion of serial numbers below), and to the Super Action 80 for the soprano and baritone saxophone ...

with a modified bent neck. He is said to now be playing a

Yamaha Yamaha may refer to: * Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below). ** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...

YSS-82ZR, and uses a Selmer D mouthpiece and

Vandoren Vandoren is a manufacturer of mouthpieces, reeds, and accessories for the clarinet and saxophone families. History Vandoren was founded in 1905 by Eugène Van Doren (1873-1940), a clarinetist for the Paris Opera. The original location was eventua ...

V12 Clarinet reeds 5+ *Alto:

Cannonball A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...

Vintage Series (model AV/LG-L) with a Selmer Classic C mouthpiece and Vandoren #5 *Tenor: Selmer Super Balanced Action with a Fred Lebayle 8 mouthpiece and Alexander Superial size 3.5 reeds

Other appearances

* Marsalis performed alongside

and

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

at the London

Live Aid Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...

concert at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...

on July 13, 1985. * Featured as saxophonist on "

Fight the Power Fight the Power may refer to: * "Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2)", a 1975 song by the Isley Brothers * "Fight the Power" (Public Enemy song) (1989) * '' Fight the Power... Live!'', a 1989 music video compilation by Public Enemy * '' Fight the Power: G ...

" (1989) by

Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe p ...

. * Marsalis assembled a band he calle
X-Men
to open for the

at the

Oakland Coliseum Arena Oakland Arena is an indoor arena located in Oakland, California, United States. From its opening in 1966 until 1996, it was known as the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena. After a major renovation completed in 1997, the arena was renamed ...

on December 31, 1990. Other members were

, Robert Hurst, and

Jeff Watts Jeff is a masculine name, often a short form (hypocorism) of the English given name Jefferson or Jeffrey, which comes from a medieval variant of Geoffrey. Music * DJ Jazzy Jeff, American DJ/turntablist record producer Jeffrey Allen Townes * ...

. * Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Guest on the "Not My Job" section of the show. On this performance he claimed the saxophone was the sexiest instrument, then insults the accordion. In a later episode of the show,

"Weird Al" Yankovic Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specifi ...

stands up for the accordion; later guest

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (''Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. He graduated from ...

claimed the saxophone was in fact the sexiest. *Interviewed on

Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animation, adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast t ...

Episode 10: "Gum, Disease" (aired November 11, 1994). Although the Coast to Coast crew said, "He was the most pleasant, and well mannered guest we had ever interviewed", he didn't sign a release for merchandising rights, so the episode couldn't be on the Space Ghost Coast to Coast Volume One DVD. *Marsalis was featured in

Shanice Shanice Lorraine Wilson-Knox (née Wilson; born May 14, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and dancer. Shanice had the ''Billboard'' hit singles "I Love Your Smile" and "Silent Prayer" in 1991 and "Saving Forever for You" in 1993. ...

's 1992 hit "

I Love Your Smile "I Love Your Smile" is a song by American singer-songwriter Shanice, released in October 1991 as the lead single from her second studio album, ''Inner Child'' (1991). The song features a saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis as well as laughter fr ...

". In the second half of the song, he has a solo and Shanice says, "Blow, Branford, Blow" *He played the role of Lester in the movie ''

Throw Momma from the Train ''Throw Momma from the Train'' is a 1987 American crime comedy film starring and directed by Danny DeVito in his theatrical directorial debut. The film co-stars Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate Mulgre ...

'' (1987) and the role of Jordam in

's 1988 musical-drama film ''

''. *Cameo as a repair man who asks Hillary on a date in the episode "Stop Will! In the Name of Love", and as himself in the episode "Sleepless in Bel-Air" on the sitcom ''

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart t ...

'' (1994). *Interviews with Marsalis are featured prominently in the documentary '' Before the Music Dies'' (2006). * Marsalis was a guest judge on the final episode of the fifth season of ''Top Chef'' which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. * On April 28 and 29, 2009, Marsalis played with the Dead (the remaining members of the

) at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, rekindling a relationship started when he performed with them at a set at Nassau Coliseum on March 29, 1990, during which, according to Dead aficionados, one of the greatest renditions of "Eyes of the World", was performed. * On July 21, 2010, Marsalis guested with

Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band (also known by the initials DMB) is an American rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. The band's founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer and bac ...

on the songs "Lover Lay Down," "

What Would You Say "What Would You Say" is a song by American rock group Dave Matthews Band. It was released in September 1994 as the lead single from their debut album ''Under the Table and Dreaming''. It reached #11 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. In June 1995 it ...

" and "Jimi Thing" at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, NC. This was the first time Marsalis had guested with Dave Matthews Band, although he had previously played with Dave Matthews and

Gov't Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as ''Mule''. ...

on a cover of Bob Dylan's "

All Along the Watchtower "All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, ''John Wesley Harding'' (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original vers ...

" on December 16, 2006, in Asheville, NC. Marsalis performed with the

again on December 12, 2012, at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. For the Summer 2015 tour Marsalis has returned to guest for 3 shows, May 22, 2015, in Raleigh North Carolina ("Lover Lay Down", "Typical Situation", Jimi thing), June 12, 2015 in Hartford, CT ("Death On The High Seas", "Spaceman", "Jimi Thing", "Warehouse"), and July 29, 2015, in Tampa, FL ("Lover Lay Down", "Typical Situation", "Jimi Thing"). * Marsalis appeared as a special guest of Bob Weir and Bruce Hornsby at two festivals in the summer of 2012. They first performed at the All Good Music Festival in Thornville, OH on July 19, 2012, and then headed to Bridgeport, CT for a performance at Gathering of the Vibes the following day, July 20, 2012. * Marsalis appeared as a special guest of Furthur for their performance at Red Rocks on September 21, 2013. * Marsalis appeared as a special guest of

Dead & Company Dead & Company is an American rock band consisting of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge (bass, percussion, and ...

for their second night of a two night headlining performance at Lock'n Festival on August 26, 2018.

Discography

As leader

* ''Fathers & Sons'' with Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Chico Freeman, Von Freeman (Columbia, 1982) * ''Scenes in the City'' (Columbia, 1984) * ''Romances for Saxophone'' (CBS Masterworks, 1986) * ''

Royal Garden Blues "Royal Garden Blues" is a blues song composed by Clarence Williams and Spencer Williams in 1919. Popularized in jazz by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band,

'' (CBS, 1986) * ''Renaissance'' (Columbia, 1987) * ''

Random Abstract ''Random Abstract'' is a jazz album by saxophonist Branford Marsalis recorded August 12–13, 1987 at Sound City Studios in Tokyo, Japan. It peaked at number 6 on the Top Jazz Albums chart. It was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1988, Best Jaz ...

'' (CBS, 1987) * '' Trio Jeepy'' (CBS, 1989) – recorded in 1988 * ''

Crazy People Music ''Crazy People Music'' is a jazz album featuring the Branford Marsalis Quartet, led by saxophonist Branford Marsalis and featuring Kenny Kirkland, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Robert Hurst. It was recorded January 10, February 18, and March 1, 1990 ...

'' (

Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...

, 1990) * ''

Mo' Better Blues ''Mo' Better Blues'' is a 1990 American musical comedy-drama film starring Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, and Spike Lee, who also wrote, produced, and directed. It follows a period in the life of fictional jazz trumpeter Bleek Gilliam (played ...

'' (Columbia, 1990) * ''

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born '' ''The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born'' is the debut novel by Ghanaian writer Ayi Kwei Armah. It was published in 1968 by Houghton Mifflin, and then republished in the influential Heinemann African Writers Series in 1969. The novel tells the s ...

'' (Sony Music, 1991) * ''Herve Sellin Sextet/Brandford Marsalis'' (Columbia, 1991) * ''

Sneakers Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used fo ...

'' (Columbia, 1992) * '' I Heard You Twice the First Time'' (Columbia, 1992) * ''David and Goliath'' (Rabbit Ears, 1992) * '' Bloomington'' (Columbia, 1993) – recorded in 1991 * '' Buckshot LeFonque'' (Sony Music, 1994) * '' Loved Ones'' with Ellis Marsalis (Columbia, 1996) – recorded in 1995 * '' The Dark Keys'' (Sony Music, 1996) * '' Music Evolution'' (Sony Music, 1997) * ''

Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...

'' (Sony Music, 1999) – recorded in 1998 * '' Contemporary Jazz'' (Sony Music, 2000) – recorded in 1999 * ''

Creation Creation may refer to: Religion *''Creatio ex nihilo'', the concept that matter was created by God out of nothing * Creation myth, a religious story of the origin of the world and how people first came to inhabit it * Creationism, the belief tha ...

'' with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Sony Classical, 2001) * '' Footsteps of Our Fathers'' (

, 2002) * ''

Romare Bearden Revealed ''Romare Bearden Revealed'' is a jazz album by the Branford Marsalis Quartet, featuring Branford Marsalis, Eric Revis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and Joey Calderazzo, with guest appearances by Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Doug Wamble, Reginald Ve ...

'' (Marsalis Music, 2003) * ''

Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...

'' (Marsalis Music, 2004) * '' Braggtown'' (Marsalis Music, 2006) * ''American Spectrum'' (BIS, 2009) * ''Songs of Mirth and Melancholy'' with Joey Calderazzo (Marsalis Music, 2011) * ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' (Marsalis Music, 2012) * ''Romances for Saxophone'' (Sony Music, 2013) * ''In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral'' (Marsalis Music, 2014) * ''

Upward Spiral Upward Spiral is a term used by Paul Kennedy in his book ''The Rise and Fall of Great Powers'' to describe the continually rising cost of military equipment relative to civilian manufactured goods. According to Kennedy there is an upward spiral at ...

'' (Marsalis Music, 2016) - with

Kurt Elling Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran chur ...

* '' The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul'' (Sony Masterworks, 2019)

As sideman or guest

With

* '' Live at Montreux and Northsea'' (Timeless, 1981) * '' Killer Joe'' (1981) * '' Keystone 3'' (Concord Jazz, 1982) With

Terence Blanchard Terence Oliver Blanchard (born March 13, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. He started his career in 1982 as a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, then The Jazz Messengers. He has composed more than forty film scores and performed ...

* ''

'' (Columbia, 1991) * ''Malcolm X'' (Columbia, 1992) * ''

Wandering Moon ''Wandering Moon'' is a studio album by American trumpeter Terence Blanchard. The album was released on February 15, 2000 via Sony Classical label. Blanchard wrote most of the compositions for the record, except for pianist Edward Simon’s walt ...

'' (Sony Classical, 2000) With

* ''In the Door'' (Blue Note, 1991) * ''To Know One'' (Blue Note, 1992) * ''Going Home'' (Sunnyside, 2015) With

* ''

We Are in Love ''We Are in Love'' is an album by American artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 1990. The multi-platinum album features Connick on piano & vocal, Russell Malone on guitar, Shannon Powell on drums, Benjamin Jonah Wolfe on double bass, and Branford ...

'' (Columbia, 1990) * ''

Songs I Heard ''Songs I Heard'' (2001) is an album by Harry Connick Jr. covering songs from movies he watched as a child. The album features songs from '' Annie'', ''The Sound of Music'', ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', ''Mary Poppins'', and '' The W ...

'' (Columbia, 2001) * '' Occasion: Connick on Piano, Volume 2'' (Marsalis Music/Rounder, 2005) * '' Your Songs'' (Columbia, 2009) * ''Smokey Mary'' (Columbia, 2013) * ''Every Man Should Know'' (Columbia, 2013) With

Bela Fleck Bela may refer to: Places Asia *Bela Pratapgarh, a town in Pratapgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India *Bela, a small village near Bhandara, Maharashtra, India *Bela, another name for the biblical city Zoara * Bela, Dang, in Nepal * Bela, Janakpur, ...

* ''

Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest ''Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' is the fourth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 1993. It is the band's only release as a trio, after the departure of Howard Levy but before the arrival of Jeff Coffin. Receptio ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1993) * ''Tales from the Acoustic Planet'' (Warner Bros., 1995) * ''

Live Art Performance art is an artwork or art exhibition created through actions executed by the artist or other participants. It may be witnessed live or through documentation, spontaneously developed or written, and is traditionally presented to a pu ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1996) * ''

Little Worlds ''Little Worlds'' is the tenth album by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, released in 2003. The album was released as a 3-disc set. Ten tracks from the set were also released on a single disc called ''Ten from Little Worlds''. The album contains s ...

'' (Columbia, 2003) With

* '' Closer to the Source'' (Atlantic, 1984) * ''

New Faces ''New Faces'' is a British television talent show that aired in the 1970s and 1980s. It has been hosted by Leslie Crowther, Derek Hobson and Marti Caine. It was produced for the ITV network by ATV, and later by Central. Original series: 1973 ...

'' (GRP, 1985) With

* ''

'' (Arista, 1990) * '' Infrared Roses'' (Grateful Dead, 1991) * ''

Spring 1990 (The Other One) ''Spring 1990 (The Other One)'' is a live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. Packaged as a box set, it contains eight complete concerts on 23 CDs, recorded during the band's spring 1990 concert tour. It was produced as a limited edition ...

'' (

Rhino Entertainment Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company founded in 1978. It is currently the catalog division for Warner Music Group. Its current CEO is Mark Pinkus. History Founded in 1978, Rhino was original ...

, 2014) * ''

Wake Up to Find Out ''Wake Up to Find Out'' is a three-CD live album by the rock band the Grateful Dead. It contains the complete concert recorded on March 29, 1990, at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. It was released by Rhino Records on September 9, 2014. ...

'' (Rhino Entertainment, 2014) * '' The Best of the Grateful Dead Live'' (Rhino Entertainment, 2018) - Saxophone on "Eyes of the World" With

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved worldwide acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

* ''The Vibe'' (Novus, 1992) * ''

With the Tenors of Our Time ''With the Tenors of Our Time'' is an album by Roy Hargrove. Track listing # "Soppin' the Biscuit" (composer Roy Hargrove, featuring Stanley Turrentine) – 7:59 # "When We Were One" (composer Johnny Griffin, featuring Johnny Griffin) – ...

'' (Verve, 1994) With

Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek (born 14 December 1970) is a Polish vocalist, songwriter, and improviser. She represented Poland in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participating acts; and in 2002, she co ...

* ''ID'' (EmArcy, 2008) * ''Ulotne'' (EmArcy, 2018) With

* ''Pontius Pilate's Decision'' (Novus, 1992) * ''Minions Domain'' (Troubadour, 2006) With Ellis Marsalis Jr. * ''Whistle Stop'' (CBS, 1994) * ''Loved Ones'' (Columbia, 1996) * ''Pure Pleasure for the Piano'' (Verve, 2012) With

* ''

'' (Columbia, 1982) * ''

Think of One ''Think of One'' is an album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis that was released in 1983. It won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist. The album peaked at number 102 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the '' ...

'' (CBS, 1983) * ''

Hot House Flowers ''Hot House Flowers'' is an illustrated, allegory, allegorical children's literature, children's book written and self-published by Brooklyn criminal law, criminal court judge John H. Wilson (judge), John H. Wilson, which compares illegal immigra ...

'' (Columbia, 1984) * ''

Black Codes (From the Underground) ''Black Codes (From the Underground)'' is a 1985 album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Accolades and legacy It won two Grammy Awards in 1985: Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group and Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Sol ...

'' (Columbia, 1985) * ''

Joe Cool's Blues ''Joe Cool's Blues'' is an album by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and his father Ellis Marsalis that was released in 1995. The album reached a peak position of No. 3 on ''Billboard''s Top Jazz Albums chart. The album consists of a series of so ...

'' (Columbia, 1995) * ''Jump Start and Jazz'' (Sony Classical, 1997) With

Frank McComb Frank McComb (born July 15, 1970) is a soul singer and record producer. He has collaborated with Prince, Chaka Khan, Will Smith, Najee, Branford Marsalis, George Duke, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Phyllis Hyman, Gamble and Huff, Patrice Rushen, Lalah ...

* ''Love Stories'' (Columbia, 2000) * ''The Truth Vol. 2'' (Expansion, 2006) * ''A New Beginning'' (Boobescoot, 2010) With

* ''

'' (A&M, 1985) * ''

Bring On the Night ''Bring On the Night'' is the first live album by Sting recorded over the course of several live shows in 1985 and released in 1986. The title is taken from a song by the Police from their 1979 album ''Reggatta de Blanc''. The songs performed ...

'' (A&M, 1986) * '' ...Nothing Like the Sun'' (A&M, 1987) * ''

The Soul Cages ''The Soul Cages'' is the third full-length studio album released by English musician Sting. Released on 21 January 1991 it became Sting's second No. 1 album in the United Kingdom. This was Sting's first album to feature guitarist Dominic Mille ...

'' (A&M, 1991) * ''

Mercury Falling ''Mercury Falling'' is the fifth studio album by Sting, released in 1996. The album begins and ends with the words " mercury falling." In 1997, the album earned Sting two Grammy nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Male Pop Vocal Pe ...

'' (A&M, 1996) * '' Brand New Day'' (A&M, 1999) * '' Live in Berlin'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 2010) * '' 44/876'' (Interscope/A&M, 2018) * '' My Songs'' (A&M, 2019) * ''

The Bridge The Bridge may refer to: Art, entertainment and media Art * ''The Bridge'' (sculpture), a 1997 sculpture in Atlanta, Georgia, US * Die Brücke (''The Bridge''), a group of German expressionist artists * ''The Bridge'' (M. C. Escher), a lithograph ...

'' (A&M, 2021) With

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

* ''

New Moon Shine ''New Moon Shine'' is the thirteenth studio album by singer-songwriter James Taylor released in 1991. The album peaked at number 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and certified platinum. The album was producer-pianist Don Grolnick's sixth and fi ...

'' (Columbia, 1991) * ''

Hourglass An hourglass (or sandglass, sand timer, sand clock or egg timer) is a device used to measure the passage of time. It comprises two glass bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows a regulated flow of a substance (historically sand) ...

'' (Columbia, 1997) With

* ''Country Libations'' (Marsalis Music, 2003) * ''Bluestate'' (Marsalis Music, 2005) With

* ''Citizen Tain'' (Columbia, 1999) * ''Watts'' (Dark Key Music, 2009) With others *

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Pol ...

, ''You Might Be Surprised'' (Columbia, 1985) *

Allman Brothers Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Gregg Allman Band People *Allman (surname) ...

, ''Cream of the Crop'' (Peach, 2018) * Victor Bailey, ''Bottom's Up'' (Atlantic, 1989) *

Joanne Brackeen Joanne Brackeen (born Joanne Grogan; July 26, 1938) is an American jazz pianist and music educator. Music career Brackeen was born in Ventura, California, United States, and attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music. She was a fan of pop p ...

, '' Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven'' (Concord Jazz, 1987) *

Alex Bugnon Alex Bugnon (born October 10, 1958) is a jazz pianist and composer from Montreux, Switzerland. He is a nephew of Donald Byrd. Bugnon studied at the Paris Conservatory and the Mozart Academy in Salzburg. At age nineteen, he moved to the U.S. and ...

, ''As Promised'' (Narada/Virgin 2000) *

Mary Chapin Carpenter Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

, ''Stones in the Road'' (Columbia, 1994) *

Dori Caymmi Dorival "Dori" Tostes Caymmi (born 26 August 1943) is a Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist, arranger, and producer. Biography Caymmi was born in Rio de Janeiro to parents who were musicians, his father Dorival Caymmi a composer and his mot ...

, ''Kicking Cans'' (Qwest, 1993) *

Ornette Coleman Randolph Denard Ornette Coleman (March 9, 1930 – June 11, 2015) was an American jazz saxophonist, violinist, trumpeter, and composer known as a principal founder of the free jazz genre, a term derived from his 1960 album '' Free Jazz: A Colle ...

, ''Celebrate Ornette'' (Song X, 2016) *

Steve Coleman Steve Coleman (born September 20, 1956) is an American saxophonist, composer, bandleader and music theorist. In 2014, he was named a MacArthur Fellow. Early life Steve Coleman was born and grew up in South Side, Chicago. He started playing al ...

, ''Sine Die'' (Pangaea, 1988) *

Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) were a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young as a fourth member, ...

, '' Live It Up'' (1990) *

, ''

Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''ende kooi'', " duck cage") is usually a person, device, or event which resembles what an individual or a group might be looking for, but it is only meant to lu ...

'' (Columbia, 1984) *

Dirty Dozen Brass Band The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a brass band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ensemble was established in 1977, by Benny Jones and members of the Tornado Brass Band. The Dirty Dozen revolutionized the New Orleans brass band style by incorpo ...

, ''Voodoo'' (Columbia, 1989) *

Ray Drummond Ray Drummond (born November 23, 1946 in Brookline, Massachusetts) is an American jazz bassist and teacher. He also has an MBA from Stanford University, hence his linkage to the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He can be heard on hundreds of albums and co- ...

, ''Susanita'' (Nilva 1984) *

, ''The Questions'' (Okeh, 2018) *

, ''Opening Night'' (GRP, 1985) *

Robin Eubanks Robin Eubanks (born October 25, 1955) is an American jazz and jazz fusion slide trombonist, the brother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks and trumpeter Duane Eubanks. His uncles are jazz pianist Ray Bryant and bassist Tommy Bryant. His mother, Vera Eub ...

, ''

Karma Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

'' (JMT, 1991) *

Charles Fambrough Charles Fambrough (August 25, 1950January 1, 2011) was an American jazz bassist, composer and record producer from Philadelphia. Fambrough was a member of Art Blakey, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers during the early 1980s. Suffering from kidney fail ...

, ''The Proper Angle'' (CTI, 1991) *

Benny Golson Benny Golson (born January 25, 1929) is an American bebop/hard bop jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and arranger. He came to prominence with the big bands of Lionel Hampton and Dizzy Gillespie, more as a writer than a performer, before launch ...

, '' Tenor Legacy'' (Arkadia Jazz, 1998) *

Paul Grabowsky Paul Atherstone Grabowsky (born 27 September 1958) is an Australian pianist and composer. Biography Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and opera. His father Alistair had lived in Papu ...

, ''Tales Of Time And Space'' (Sanctuary Records, 2005) *

Dave Grusin Robert David "Dave" Grusin (born June 26, 1934) is an American composer, arranger, producer, jazz pianist, and band leader. He has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record w ...

, ''Migration'' (GRP, 1989) *

Russell Gunn Russell Gunn (born October 20, 1971 in Chicago) is an American contemporary jazz trumpeter. He grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois playing trumpet. As a kid his musical interest was hip hop, with LL Cool J being his first music idol. His project ...

, ''Young Gunn Plus'' (32 Jazz, 1998) *

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than 50 years. In the late 1950s, he was an original member of the ground-breaking ...

, ''Dream Keeper'' (DIW, 1990) *

Everette Harp Everette Harp (born August 17, 1961, in Houston, Texas) is an American jazz saxophonist who has recorded for Blue Note, Capitol and Shanachie Records. His album ''Jazz Funk Soul'', a collaboration with Chuck Loeb and Jeff Lorber, received his fi ...

, ''Common Ground'' (Blue Note/Contemporary, 1993) *

Billy Hart Billy Hart (born November 29, 1940) is an American jazz drummer and educator. He is known internationally for his work with Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" band in the early 1970s, as well with Shirley Horn, Stan Getz, and Quest, among others. Bi ...

, ''

Oshumare Oshunmare (known as Ochumaré or Oxumaré in Latin America) is an Orisha. Osumare is the spirit of the rainbow, and Osumare also means rainbow in the Yoruba language. See also * Aido Wedo Ayida-Weddo is a loa of fertility, rainbows, wind, ...

'' (Gramavision, 1984) *

Shirley Horn Shirley Valerie Horn (May 1, 1934 – October 20, 2005) was an American jazz singer and pianist. She collaborated with many jazz musicians including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Toots Thielemans, Ron Carter, Carmen McRae, Wynton Marsalis and othe ...

, ''You Won't Forget Me'' (Verve, 1991) *

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American composer. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements, and for his frequent use of motifs associated with Celtic music. Horner's first film score was i ...

, ''Sneakers'' (Columbia, 1992) *

Bruce Hornsby Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions ...

, '' Harbor Lights'' (RCA, 1993) * Robert Hurst, ''Robert Hurst Presents: Robert Hurst'' (Columbia, 1993) *

Bobby Hutcherson Robert Hutcherson (January 27, 1941 – August 15, 2016) was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album '' Components'', is one of his best-known compositions.Huey, Steve. "Components – Bob ...

, ''

Good Bait "Good Bait" is a jazz composition written by American jazz piano player and composer Tadd Dameron and by band leader Count Basie. It was introduced in 1944 and was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Form Good Bait uses the changes to "I've Got Rhyth ...

'' (Landmark, 1985) *

Miles Jaye Miles Jaye Davis (born November 12, 1957), known professionally as Miles Jaye, is an American R&B and jazz singer, jazz violinist, songwriter, and record producer. He had several hits on the US R&B chart in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the b ...

, ''Miles'' (Island, 1987) *

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

, ''City Streets'' (Capitol, 1989) *

, ''Kenny Kirkland'' (GRP, 1991) * Bill Lee, ''Do the Right Thing'' (CBS, 1989) * Michael McDonald, Wide Open (BMG, 2017) *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandros ...

, ''M2'' (Victor, 2001) *

Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, wo, Yuusu Nduur; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine describe ...

, ''The Guide'' (Columbia 1994) *

Neville Brothers The Neville Brothers were an American R&B/soul/funk group, formed in 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. History The group notion started in 1976, when the four brothers of the Neville family, Art (1937–2019), Charles (1938–2018), Aaron (b. 19 ...

, ''Uptown'' (EMI, 1987) *

Ivan Neville Ivan Neville (born August 19, 1959) is an American multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter. He is the son of Aaron Neville and nephew to members of The Neville Brothers. Career He has released four solo (music), solo albums and ha ...

, ''Thanks'' (Iguana, 1995) *

Makoto Ozone is a Japanese jazz pianist. Career He was born in Kobe, Japan. He began playing organ at two and by seven was an improviser. He appeared on Japanese television with his father from 1968 to 1970. At twelve he switched to piano after being impres ...

, ''The Trio'' (Verve, 2000) *

John Patitucci John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz bassist and composer. Biography John James Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was 12, he bought his first bass and decided on his career. He listened to bass parts in R ...

, ''Communion'' (Concord Jazz, 2001) *

Courtney Pine Courtney Pine, (born 18 March 1964), is a British jazz musician, who was the principal founder in the 1980s of the black British band the Jazz Warriors. Although known primarily for his saxophone playing, Pine is a multi-instrumentalist, also ...

, ''The Vision's Tale'' (Antilles) *

, ''In Memory of Things Yet Seen'' (Clean Feed, 2014) *

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

, ''Falling in Love with Jazz'' (Milestone, 1989) * Renee Rosnes, ''Renee Rosnes'' (Blue Note, 1990) *

David Sanchez David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

, ''Melaza'' (Columbia, 2000) *

Janis Siegel Janis Siegel (born July 23, 1952) is an American jazz singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Manhattan Transfer. Musical career In 1965, Siegel made her recording debut with a group called Young Generation on Red Bird Records. Af ...

, ''At Home'' (Atlantic, 1987) *

Horace Silver Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver (September 2, 1928 – June 18, 2014) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, particularly in the hard bop style that he helped pioneer in the 1950s. After playing tenor saxophone and piano at sch ...

, ''

It's Got to Be Funky ''It's Got to Be Funky'' is an album by jazz pianist Horace Silver, his first release on the Columbia label since '' Silver's Blue'' (1956), featuring performances by Silver with Oscar Brashear, Ron Stout, Bob Summers, Bob McChesney, Maurice ...

'' (Columbia, 1993) *

Ed Thigpen Edmund Leonard Thigpen (December 28, 1930 – January 13, 2010) was an American jazz drummer, best known for his work with the Oscar Peterson trio from 1959 to 1965. Thigpen also performed with the Billy Taylor trio from 1956 to 1959. Biography ...

, ''Young Men & Olds'' (Timeless, 1990) *

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939) is an American-born Swiss retired singer and actress. Widely referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer o ...

, ''

Break Every Rule ''Break Every Rule'' is the sixth solo studio album by Tina Turner. It was released on September 5, 1986, through Capitol Records in the US. It was the follow-up to Turner's globally successful comeback album, ''Private Dancer'', released two ye ...

'' (Capitol, 1986) *

Chucho Valdes Chucho is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Chucho Avellanet (born 1941), Puerto Rican singer and comedic actor *Christian Benítez (1986–2013), Ecuadorian footballer nicknamed 'Chucho' * Chucho Castillo (born 1944), former Mex ...

, ''Border-Free'' (Harmonia Mundi/JazzVillage 2013) *

Vinx Vinx De'Jon Parrette (born 15 December 1957), known professionally as Vinx, is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, and former athlete. Biography Early life and career Vinx attended Kansas State University on a track scholarship. In 1977, he was ...

, ''Rooms in My Fatha's House'' (I.R.S., 1991) *

Randy Waldman Randy Waldman (born September 8, 1955, Chicago, Illinois, United States) is an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor. In 2019, Waldman's arrangement of the " Spider-Man Theme" on his ''Superheroes'' album garnered the Grammy Award f ...

, ''Unreel'' (Concord Jazz, 2001) *

Joe Louis Walker Joe Louis Walker, also known as JLW (born December 25, 1949) is an American musician, best known as an electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. His knowledge of blues history is revealed by his use of older material and playi ...

, ''JLW'' (Verve, 1994) *

Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American pop rock group founded in 1979 in Detroit, Michigan, by David Weiss and Don Fagenson, who adopted the stage names David Was and Don Was. Their song catalog features an eclectic mix of pop and rock styles, often fea ...

, ''Born to Laugh at Tornadoes'' (Geffen, 1983) *

Rob Wasserman Rob Wasserman (April 1, 1952 – June 29, 2016) was an American composer and bass player. A Grammy Award and NEA grant winner, he played and recorded with a wide variety of musicians including Bob Weir, Bruce Cockburn, Elvis Costello, Ani di F ...

, ''Trios'' (GRP, 1994) *

Cleveland Watkiss Cleveland Watkiss, (born 21 October 1959), is a British vocalist, actor, and composer. Biography Cleveland Watkiss was born in Hackney, East London, to Jamaican parents, and was one of nine children. He is the older brother of pianist Trevo ...

, ''Blessing in Disguise'' (Polydor, 1991) *

Mark Whitfield Mark Whitfield (born October 6, 1966) is an American jazz guitarist. Life and career Whitfield was born in Lindenhurst, New York. He has worked with Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Courtney Pine, Nicholas Payton, and Chris Botti. In 2000, Whitfiel ...

, ''True Blue'' (Verve, 1994) * Nancy Wilson, ''Forbidden Lover'' (CBS, 1993) *

Ben Wolfe Benjamin Jonah Wolfe is an American jazz bassist who has performed in groups with Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Diana Krall. He is currently on the teaching faculty at The Juilliard School Jazz Division. Career Wolfe was born in Baltim ...

, ''No Stranger Here'' (MAXJAZZ, 2008) *

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...

, ''

Conversation Peace ''Conversation Peace'' is the 22nd album released by American musician Stevie Wonder, on the Motown label in 1995. The album was Wonder's first full-length non-soundtrack studio album since 1987's ''Characters''. This album yielded the hits "Fo ...

'' (Motown, 1995)

Filmography

*''

Throw Momma From the Train ''Throw Momma from the Train'' is a 1987 American crime comedy film starring and directed by Danny DeVito in his theatrical directorial debut. The film co-stars Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist, and Kate Mulgre ...

'' (1987) *''

'' (1988) *''

Living Single ''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Lee Bowser that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who shared personal and professi ...

'' Season 2 (1994–95) Eve’s Bayou(Harry) - 1997 *''Branford Marsalis - The Sound illusionist'' (2016)

References

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

Confers Doctor of Music
Branford Marsalis
at ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

''
Branford Marsalis - NAMM Oral History Interview
March 21, 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Marsalis, Branford 1960 births Living people People from Breaux Bridge, Louisiana Jazz musicians from New Orleans Musicians from New Rochelle, New York American male saxophonists Berklee College of Music alumni Grammy Award winners 20th-century American musicians The Jazz Messengers members Louisiana Creole people Columbia Records artists The Tonight Show Band members American jazz soprano saxophonists African-American jazz musicians Jazz musicians from New York (state) 21st-century American saxophonists American male jazz musicians Branford Marsalis Quartet members Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band members Buckshot LeFonque members Marsalis family African-American film score composers American film score composers Male film score composers 20th-century African-American musicians

Early life

Career

Musical beginnings: 1980–85

Expanded output: 1985–95

Transition: 1995–2007

Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–10

2011–present

Personal life

Awards and honors

Instruments and setup

Other appearances

Discography

As leader

As sideman or guest

Filmography

See also

References

External links