Wynton Learson Marsalis is the son of Dolores Ferdinand and Ellis Marsalis, Jr. He was born on October 18, 1961 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Three of his six brothers, Jason, Brandford and Delfeayo, are also jazz musicians.
What Sets New Orleans Wynton Marsalis Apart
The fact that Wynton’s father was an accomplished jazz pianist helped to sharpen Wynton’s skill. At the Wynton Marsalis official website, the trumpet player states that his father influenced his quest to become a musician due to the way he played music with integrity. The artist also credits drummer James Black and saxophonist Nat Perlatt, men who played with Ellis, with influencing his desire to create music.
New Orleans’ Fairview Baptist Church is where Wynton made his public debut as a musician. Playing in the church band gave Wynton another chance to learn from a great musician, banjoist Danny Parker. Near his teenage years, Wynton started to take music more seriously. He was 14 years old when he played with the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra.
A studious youngster, Wynton maintained a straight “A” average in high school while simultaneously playing with the New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet, the New Orleans Community Concert Band and the New Orleans Youth Orchestra. As if that was not enough, he was also admitted to the Tanglewood Berkshire Music Center when he was only 17 years old, making him the youngest musician to be admitted to the center.
Wynton Marsalis Leaves New Orleans and Steps Out On His Own
Post graduation from Benjamin Franklin High School, Wynton headed for New York City here he attended the Julliard School of Music. The year was 1979. Following his enrollment at Julliard, Wynton studied under Art Blakely, pianist and drummer who played with the Jazz Messengers.
Work with Art Blakely taught Wynton Marsalis that he too could lead his own band. That is exactly what Wynton did. His band toured widely for ten years; during the stint, the musicians conducted 120 performances.
Mention of Wynton Marsalis’ name grew. He was viewed as a young prodigy, a genius on the trumpet. Younger and older audiences enjoyed listening to him play. His audiences were growing and so too was the recognition and awards that he received.
Wynton Marsalis Jazz Books and Records
In 1982 Wynton Marsalis signed a deal with CBS Records. Over the next 17 years, he would record nearly 40 jazz and classical compositions under the record company. 1983 saw Wynton Marsalis take home his first Grammy Award for best instrumental soloist performance with an orchestra for his work with the National Philharmonic Orchestra. The same year he also won a Grammy Award for his work on “Think On One.”
A year later Wynton won two more Grammy Awards for “Hot House Flowers” and for his work with the English Chamber Orchestra. To date the jazz artist has received six Grammy Awards for his stellar performances. His work on “Blood on the Fields” earned him a Pulitzer Award for Music in 1997. November 6, 2009 Wynton is scheduled to receive France’s Legion of Honor from the French Ambassador, Pierre Vimont.
To date 14 books have been written by or about Wynton Marsalis, his unique style and prolific recording career. In 2008 Wynton Marsalis Enterprises published the book Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life under Random House. Other books authored by Wynton Marsalis include Marsalis On Music, To A Young Jazz Musician: Letters From The Road and Jazz In The Bittersweet Blues.
Marsalis has worked for and with several jazz and entertainment greats including the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, the New York City Ballet, Norris Turney who played alto saxophone with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Clark Terry, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie.
Books written by Wynton Marsalis like Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life and Marsalis On Music, To A Young Jazz Musician: Letters From The Road are available at retailers like Amazon.com, Target, Barnes and Noble, Walmart, Borders and Waldenbooks. Music stores like FYE, Tower Records and CD Baby carry the trumpeter’s albums.
Sources:
Wynton Marsalis Official Website. 12 November 2009.
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