Born into an illustrious musical family in New Orleans on 18 October 1961, Wynton Marsalis was one of four talented brothers that includes his renowned saxophonist brother Branford and hugely respected educator pianist father Ellis.
First starting the trumpet aged just six year old, Wynton showed a prodigious talent that saw him study at Julliard in his late teens before touring the world with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, building an international reputation that culminated in his debut solo album 'J Mood' in 1982. He also pursued classical music for a time and such were his achievements with Haydn, Hummel and Leopold Mozart that classical trumpet luminary Maurice André commented Wynton was "potentially the greatest classical trumpeter of all time."
Yet those that know Marsalis will think of him...
(Read More)Born into an illustrious musical family in New Orleans on 18 October 1961, Wynton Marsalis was one of four talented brothers that includes his renowned saxophonist brother Branford and hugely respected educator pianist father Ellis.
First starting the trumpet aged just six year old, Wynton showed a prodigious talent that saw him study at Julliard in his late teens before touring the world with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, building an international reputation that culminated in his debut solo album 'J Mood' in 1982. He also pursued classical music for a time and such were his achievements with Haydn, Hummel and Leopold Mozart that classical trumpet luminary Maurice André commented Wynton was "potentially the greatest classical trumpeter of all time."
Yet those that know Marsalis will think of him first and foremost as a jazz trumpeter, (he's since decided he simply didn't have the time to dedicate himself to both musical forms), and a Pulitzer Prize winning one at that. Combining his love of Duke Ellington, early Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and his tireless education work at the prestigious Lincoln Centre in New York, Marsalis is now recognized as a world renowned figure in jazz.
He's also perhaps the most famous living jazz musician today. This in part is due to his phenomenal output as a musician and partly through his often-controversial views on jazz's definitions and role in society. Whether you agree with him or not there's no denying the power of presence of his playing or of his huge contribution to the last thirty years of the music's history.
(Shrink Biography)
