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 instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

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 def ...

, and

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a dance band, 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, rhyth ...

. 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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, 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 refers to the house band on the American television variety show ''The Tonight Show'', which has created an important showcase for jazz on American television. The Tonight Show Band has changed in form and composition since ...

Early life

Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

. 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 an American 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 com ...

'', 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, and music instructor, who is currently the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been active in promoting classical and jazz music, often to young ...

, 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: 1980–1985

Marsalis graduated from Eleanor McMain Secondary Magnet School in 1978. While in high school he played in a R&B cover band called The Creators. Marsalis then attended

Southern University Southern University and A&M College (Southern University, Southern, SUBR or SU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It i ...

, a historically black college in

Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; , ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It had a population of 227,470 at the 2020 United States census, making it List of municipalities in Louisiana, Louisiana's second-m ...

, where he studied under renowned jazz clarinetist

Alvin Batiste Alvin Batiste Sr. (November 7, 1932 – May 6, 2007) was an American avant-garde jazz clarinetist, who was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. He taught at his own jazz institute at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ...

. At the encouragement of Batiste, Marsalis later transferred to

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. While a student at Berklee, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and tenor 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 and ...

experiences with

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

and

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American Swing music, 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� ...

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 Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

, 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 musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

, 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 jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th century music, 20th-century music. Davis ado ...

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 improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...

Expanded output: 1985–1995

In 1985, he joined

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

, singer and bassist of rock band

the Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig, the line-up settled as Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar, primary songwriter), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussi ...

, on his first solo project, ''

The Dream of the Blue Turtles ''The Dream of the Blue Turtles'' is the debut solo album by English musician Sting, released on 17 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 ...

'', alongside jazz and session musicians

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American drummer, producer, arranger and composer. His session work covers jazz, jazz fusion, and pop music. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Chic, Sting, Madonna, Dire S ...

on drums,

Darryl Jones Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961) is an American bassist. 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 Decemb ...

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 Branford Marsalis Quartet with pianist Kirkland, drummer

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is an American 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" ...

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, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

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, actor, and author. His work has continually explored race relations, issues within the black community, the role of media in contemporary ...

film ''

School Daze ''School Daze'' is a 1988 American musical comedy-drama film written and directed by Spike Lee and starring Lee along with Laurence Fishburne (credited as Larry Fishburne), Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell. Released on February 12, 19 ...

'', 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 pr ...

" 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 an ...

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

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

numerous times, and appeared on their 1990 live album '' Without a Net''. He later appeared on Wake Up to Find Out, a full release of the March 29, 1990 concert he performed in. Marsalis has described his popularity among Deadheads as "the most bizarre thing that ever happened to me." 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 television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the fourth and sixth installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Jay Leno, it aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009, replacing ''The Ton ...

'', after

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...

replaced

Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...

. 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. 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 saxophone, alto saxophonist of the hard bop era of the 1950s and 1960s. Adderley is perhaps best remembered by the general public for the 1966 soul ...

), 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 Wale ...

and

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

. 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 has been frequently lauded as one of hip hop's greatest producers by publications such as '' ...

. In 1994, Marsalis appeared on the

Red Hot Organization ''Red Hot Organization'' (RHO) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization with goals to promote diversity through equal access to healthcare through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors ...

'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 continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

''. 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 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 an American 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 Calderaz ...

. 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 for two albums. In 2002, Marsalis founded his own label, Marsalis Music. 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 former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling ma ...

, Doug Wamble,

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

, 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 or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

(1996–2000),

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School and is ...

(2000–2002), and

North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliati ...

(2005–present). After

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

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 U.S. non-governmental, and tax-exempt 501(C)(3) Christian nonprofit organization which seeks to build affordable housing. The international ...

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

Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–2010

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 globally bec ...

, 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 Co ...

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 recording ...

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

Michael Daugherty Michael Kevin Daugherty (born April 28, 1954) is a multiple Grammy Award-winning American composer, pianist, and teacher. He is influenced by popular culture, Romanticism, and Postmodernism. Daugherty's notable works include his Superman comic b ...

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

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

and Christopher Rouse, while being conducted by

Grant Llewellyn Grant Llewellyn (born 29 December 1960) is a Welsh conductor and music director of the Orchestre National de Bretagne. Biography Llewellyn was born in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. He began developing his conducting reputation in 1985, when ...

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

August Wilson August Wilson (né 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 10 plays, collectively called '' ...

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 is an American symphony orchestra based in New York City. Known officially as the ''Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc.'', and globally known as the ''New York Philharmonic Orchestra'' (NYPO) or the ''New Yo ...

on Central Park's Great Lawn. Led by conductor

Andrey Boreyko Andrey Boreyko (, ; born 22 July 1957) is a Polish people, Polish-Russian conductor. Biography Boreyko has Polish ancestry on his father's side and Russian ancestry on his mother's side. Boreyko was born in Saint Petersburg. At the Rimsky-Korsa ...

, Marsalis and the

performed Glazunov'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: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, a ...

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 ten 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, Marsalis Music. 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. Like the Beaches International Jazz Festival, most of the events are outdoors and located throughout the downtown core. The hub of th ...

. 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 a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

2012 on April 21 that yeaar. 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 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 by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort ...

" 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 18 ...

in Charlotte. 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 lived 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, before moving to New Orleans in 2024 to head the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. He was raised Catholic. Marsalis plays golf.

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 Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

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 a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

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 The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), every year honors up to seven jazz musicians with Jazz Master Awards. The National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowships are the self-proclaimed highest honors that the United States bestows upo ...

. * In May 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. * In June 2012, Marsalis, along with friend and fellow New Orleans native Harry Connick, Jr., 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 local and national levels. Local winners are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectatio ...

, 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 The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (SMUMN) is a private Catholic university with its primary campuses in Winona and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It comprises an undergraduate residential college in Winona; graduate and professio ...

. * In 2023, he received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

Instruments and setup

*Soprano: His most famous soprano has been a silver Selmer Mark VI with a modified bent neck. He is said to now be playing a Yamaha 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 eventual ...

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 musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...

at the London

Live Aid Live Aid was a two-venue benefit concert and music-based fundraising initiative held on Saturday, 13 July 1985. The event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia, a m ...

concert at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...

on July 13, 1985. * Featured as saxophonist on " Fight the Power" (1989) by

Public Enemy Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...

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

at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on December 31, 1990. Other members were

, Robert Hurst,

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

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 comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing Comedy music, comedy songs that often Parody music, parody specific songs by contempo ...

stands up for the accordion; later guest

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma (born October 7, 1955) is a French-born American Cello, cellist. Born to Chinese people, Chinese parents in Paris, he was regarded as a child prodigy there and began to study the cello with his father at age four. At the age of seven, ...

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

Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American live-action/ adult animated hybrid television series created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and first broadcast in 1994. It takes the form of a surreal parody of talk shows, hosted by a reimagi ...

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 did not sign a release for merchandising rights, so the episode could not 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, record producer, actress and dancer. She had the ''Billboard'' hit singles "I Love Your Smile" and "Silent Prayer" in 1991 and "Saving Forever for ...

's 1992 hit " I Love Your Smile". 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 black comedy film starring and directed by Danny DeVito in his theatrical directorial debut. It co-stars Billy Crystal, Anne Ramsey, Rob Reiner, Branford Marsalis, Kim Greist and Kate ...

'' (1987) and the role of Jordan 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 that aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart ...

'' (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 as DMB) is an American rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The band's lineup consists of Dave Matthews (lead vocals, guitar), Stefan Lessard (bass), Carter Beauford (drums), Tim Reynolds (lead guitar), R ...

on the songs "Lover Lay Down," " What Would You Say" 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 David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Matthews was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved frequently between South Africa, ...

and

Gov't Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 by guitarist Warren Haynes, bassist Allen Woody (both of The Allman Brothers Band at the time) and drummer Matt Abts (whom Haynes had worked with in ...

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 v ...

" 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 that formed in 2015 with a lineup 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 ...

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 The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

'' (Columbia, 1987) * '' Random Abstract'' (CBS/Sony, 1988) * '' Trio Jeepy'' (CBS, 1989) * '' Crazy People Music'' (

Sony is a Japanese multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at Sony City in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The Sony Group encompasses various businesses, including Sony Corporation (electronics), Sony Semiconductor Solutions (i ...

, 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 (playe ...

'' (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 st ...

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

Sneakers Sneakers (American English, US) or trainers (British English, UK), also known by a #Names, wide variety of other names, are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but are also widely used for everyday casual ...

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

Requiem A Requiem (Latin: ''rest'') or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead () or Mass of the dead (), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the souls of the deceased, using a particular form of the Roman Missal. It is ...

'' (Sony, 1999) * '' Contemporary Jazz'' (Sony, 2000) * '' Creation'' with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Sony Classical, 2001) * '' Footsteps of Our Fathers'' ( Marsalis Music, 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 ...

'' (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) * ''Metamorphosen'' with Branford Marsalis Quartet (Marsalis Music, 2008) * ''American Spectrum'' (BIS, 2009) * ''Songs of Mirth and Melancholy'' with Joey Calderazzo (Marsalis Music, 2011) * ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' with Branford Marsalis Quartet (Marsalis Music, 2012) * ''In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral'' (Marsalis Music, 2014) * ''

Upward Spiral ''The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000'', by Paul Kennedy, first published in 1987, explores the politics and economics of the Great Powers from 1500 to 1980 and the reason for their decl ...

'' with

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

and Branford Marsalis Quartet (Marsalis Music, 2016) * '' The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul'' with Branford Marsalis Quartet (Marsalis Music, 2019) * ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' (Milan, 2020) * '' Belonging'' with Branford Marsalis Quartet (Blue Note, 2025)

As sideman or guest

With

* 1980: '' Live at Montreux and Northsea'' (Timeless, 1981) * 1981: '' Killer Joe'' (Union Jazz, 1982) * 1982: '' Keystone 3'' (Concord Jazz, 1982) With

Terence Blanchard Terence Oliver Blanchard (born March 13, 1962) is an American jazz trumpeter and composer. He has also written two operas and more than 80 film and television scores. Blanchard has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Original Score for ''B ...

* ''

'' (Columbia, 1991) * ''Malcolm X: The Original Motion Picture Score'' (Columbia, 1992) * '' Wandering Moon'' (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 Branf ...

'' (Columbia, 1990) * '' Songs I Heard'' (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'' (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 ...

'' (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: ...

'' (GRP, 1985) With

* '' Without a Net'' (Arista, 1990) * '' Infrared Roses'' (Grateful Dead, 1991) * '' Spring 1990 (The Other One)'' (

Rhino Entertainment Rhino Entertainment Company (formerly Rhino Records Inc.) 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 ...

, 2014) * '' Wake Up to Find Out'' (Rhino Entertainment, 2014) * '' The Best of the Grateful Dead Live'' (Rhino Entertainment, 2018) - compilation. on 1 track "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 critical 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 Eurovision Song Contest 1997, 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participat ...

* ''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'' (CBS, 1983) * '' Hot House Flowers'' (Columbia, 1984) * '' Black Codes (From the Underground)'' (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 s ...

'' (Columbia, 1995) * ''Jump Start and Jazz'' (Sony Classical, 1997) With Frank McComb * ''Love Stories'' (Columbia, 2000) * ''The Truth Vol. 2'' (Expansion, 2006) * ''A New Beginning'' (Boobescoot, 2010) With

* ''

'' (A&M, 1985) * '' Bring On the Night'' (A&M, 1986) * '' ...Nothing Like the Sun'' (A&M, 1987) * ''

The Soul Cages ''The Soul Cages'' is the third full-length studio album by English musician Sting. Released on 21 January 1991, it became Sting's second No. 1 album in the United Kingdom. It spawned four singles: " All This Time", " Mad About You", "The S ...

'' (A&M, 1991) * '' Mercury Falling'' (A&M, 1996) * '' Brand New Day'' (A&M, 1999) * '' Live in Berlin'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 2010) * ''

44/876 ''44/876'' is a collaborative album by English musician Sting and Jamaican musician Shaggy, also the thirteenth solo studio album. It was released on 20 April 2018 by A&M Records, Interscope Records and Cherrytree Records. The album's title r ...

'' (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. Taylor achieved his breakthrough in 1970 with the single "Fi ...

* ''

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 f ...

'' (Columbia, 1991) * ''

Hourglass An hourglass (or sandglass, sand timer, or sand clock) 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) from the ...

'' (Columbia, 1997) With Doug Wamble * ''Country Libations'' (Marsalis Music, 2003) * ''Bluestate'' (Marsalis Music, 2005) With

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

Roy Ayers Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025) was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure ...

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

Allman Brothers Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers Band was an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969. Its founding members were brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar, lead guitar) and Greg ...

, ''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 Chapin Carpenter (born February 21, 1958) is an American country and folk music singer-songwriter. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C.-area clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records. Carpenter's firs ...

, ''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 ...

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

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

, ''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 ...

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

Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk rock supergroup comprising the American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and the English-American singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by the Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Youn ...

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

, ''

Decoy A decoy (derived from the Dutch ''de'' ''kooi'', literally "the cage" or possibly ''eenden 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 ...

'' (Columbia, 1984) *

Dirty Dozen Brass Band The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is an American 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 incorporated funk and bebop into the traditional D ...

, ''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 Master of Business Administration, MBA from Stanford University, hence his linkage to the Stanford Jazz Workshop. He can be ...

, ''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. Younger brother Shane Eubanks, twin to Duane Eubanks, is a DJ. His uncles are jazz p ...

, ''

Karma Karma (, from , ; ) is an ancient Indian concept that refers to 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 descriptively called ...

'' (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's Jazz Messengers during the early 1980s. Suffering from kidney failure, conges ...

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

Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer, conductor and orchestrator with a career in film and television scoring that spanned nearly 50 years and over 200 productions, between 1954 and 2003. He was consid ...

, ''

The Russia House ''The Russia House'' is a spy novel by British writer John le Carré published in 1989. The title refers to the nickname given to the portion of the British Secret Intelligence Service that was devoted to spying on the Soviet Union. A film ba ...

'' (MCA, 1990) *

Benny Golson Benny Golson (January 25, 1929 – September 21, 2024) was an American bebop and 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 p ...

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

Paul Grabowsky Paul Atherstone Grabowsky , born 27 September 1958, is an Australian pianist and composer, founder of the Australian Art Orchestra. Biography Born in Lae, Papua New Guinea, Grabowsky is a pianist and composer of music for film, theatre and o ...

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

Dave Grusin Robert David 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 work, incl ...

, ''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 fifty years. Haden helped to revolutionize the harmonic concept of bass playin ...

, ''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 ...

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

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

, '' Oshumare'' (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 oth ...

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

James Horner James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American film composer. He worked on more than 160 film and television productions between 1978 and 2015. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements alongside tr ...

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

, '' 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 Records, Blue Note album ''Components (album), Components'', is one of his best-known composi ...

, '' Good Bait'' (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 renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...

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

, ''Kenny Kirkland'' (GRP, 1991) * Bill Lee, '' Do the Right Thing: Original Motion Picture Score'' (Columbia, 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 has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonists Wayne Shorter and David Sa ...

, '' M²'' (Telarc, 2001) *

Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, ; 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'' described him as, "perhaps the m ...

, ''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 the other members of The Neville Brothers. Career Neville has released four solo albums and ...

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

Makoto Ozone is a Japanese jazz pianist. Career Ozone 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, himself a pianist and club owner in Kobe, from 1968 to 1970. At ...

, ''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. He began playing the electric bass at age 10, performing and composing at age 12, and at age 15, s ...

, ''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, 1989) * Eric Revis, ''In Memory of Things Yet Seen'' (Clean Feed, 2014) *

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

, ''Falling in Love with Jazz'' (Milestone, 1989) *

Renee Rosnes Irene Louise Rosnes (born 24 March 1962), known professionally as Renee Rosnes ( ), is a Canadian jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life Rosnes was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and grew up in North Vancouver, British Columbia. She ...

, ''Renee Rosnes'' (Blue Note, 1990) * David Sanchez, ''Melaza'' (Columbia, 2000) *

Janis Siegel Janis Siegel (born July 23, 1952) is a multiple grammy-winning 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 ...

, ''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'' (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. Biograph ...

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

Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...

, '' Break Every Rule'' (Capitol, 1986) * Chucho Valdes, ''Border-Free'' (Harmonia Mundi/JazzVillage, 2013) * Vinx, ''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. He has frequently collaborated with Barbra Streisand, serving as her pianist and conductor since 1984. Waldman has ...

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

Joe Louis Walker Louis Joseph Walker Jr. (December 25, 1949 – April 30, 2025), known as Joe Louis Walker, was an American musician, best known as an electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. His knowledge of blues history is revealed by his u ...

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

Was (Not Was) Was (Not Was) is an American band 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 featuring g ...

, ''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 ...

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

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

, ''Blessing in Disguise'' (Polydor, 1991) * Mark Whitfield, ''True Blue'' (Verve, 1994) * Nancy Wilson, ''Forbidden Lover'' (CBS, 1993) * Ben Wolfe, ''No Stranger Here'' ( Maxjazz, 2008) *

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

, '' Conversation Peace'' (Motown, 1995) *

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s before joining the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, Collins established himse ...

Victor Wooten Victor Lemonte Wooten (born September 11, 1964) is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He has been the bassist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones since the group's formation in 1988 and a member of the band SMV with two other ...

, Fantaazma, "Hip Hop Lollipop" (Bootzilla Records, 2022)

Filmography

*''

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

'' (1987) *''

'' (1988) *''

Living Single ''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Denise Lee that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centers on the lives of six New York City friends who share perso ...

'' Season 2 (1994–95) *'' Mr. and Mrs. Loving'' (1996; composer) *''

Eve's Bayou ''Eve's Bayou'' is a 1997 American Southern Gothic drama film written and directed by Kasi Lemmons, who made her directorial debut with this film. Samuel L. Jackson served as a producer, and starred in the film with Lisa Nicole Carson, Jur ...

'' (Harry) (1997) *''Branford Marsalis - The Sound Illusionist'' (2016)

References

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

Confers Doctor of Music
Branford Marsalis
at ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

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

Early life

Career

Musical beginnings: 1980–1985

Expanded output: 1985–1995

Transition: 1995–2007

Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–2010

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