Branford Marsalis: Difference between revisions
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| genre = [[Jazz]] |
| genre = [[Jazz]] |
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| occupation = Musician |
| occupation = Musician |
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| instrument = [[ |
| instrument = {{hlist|[[Soprano saxophone]]|[[tenor saxophone]]|[[alto saxophone]]}} |
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| years_active = 1980–present |
| years_active = 1980–present |
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| label = Columbia |
| label = {{hlist|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]|CBS|[[Marsalis Music]]}} |
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| past_member_of = [[The Tonight Show Band]] |
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| website = {{URL|branfordmarsalis.com}} |
| website = {{URL|branfordmarsalis.com}} |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Branford Marsalis''' (born August 26, 1960) is an American [[saxophonist]], [[composer]], and [[bandleader]]. While primarily known for his work in [[jazz]] as the leader of the |
'''Branford Marsalis''' (born August 26, 1960) is an American [[saxophonist]], [[composer]], and [[bandleader]]. While primarily known for his work in [[jazz]] 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]]. |
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, |
Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, in [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/branford-marsalis-mn0000045379/biography |title=Branford Marsalis – Biography |last=Collar |first=Matt |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=July 22, 2021}}</ref> He is the son of Dolores (née Ferdinand), a jazz singer and substitute teacher, and [[Ellis Marsalis, Jr.|Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr.]], a pianist and music professor.<ref name=fid1>Stated on ''[[Finding Your Roots]]'', PBS, March 25, 2012</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/22/Branford-Marsalis.html|title=Branford Marsalis Biography (1960-)|website=Filmreference.com|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> His brothers [[Jason Marsalis]], [[Wynton Marsalis]], and [[Delfeayo Marsalis]] are also jazz musicians. |
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== Career == |
== Career == |
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=== Musical beginnings: |
=== Musical beginnings: 1980–1985 === |
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{{BLP unsourced section|date=March 2022}} |
{{BLP unsourced section|date=March 2022}} |
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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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Interview with Branford Marsalis |url=https://www.maxraskin.com/interviews/branford-marsalis |access-date=2023-06-22 |website=Interviews with Max Raskin |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ratliff |first=Ben |date=2006-10-06 |title=Walking a Beat With an Officer of the Jazz Police |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/music/06mars.html |access-date=2023-06-22 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> |
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⚫ | Marsalis then attended [[Southern University]], a historically black college in [[Baton Rouge]], where he studied under renowned jazz clarinetist [[Alvin Batiste]]. At the encouragement of Batiste, Marsalis later transferred to [[Berklee College of Music]] in [[Boston]]. While a student at Berklee, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and tenor saxophone in a large ensemble led by drummer [[Art Blakey]]. Other [[big band]] experiences with [[Lionel Hampton]] and [[Clark Terry]] followed over the next year, and by the end of 1981 Marsalis, on [[alto saxophone]], had joined his brother Wynton in Blakey's [[Jazz Messengers]]. Other performances with his brother, including a 1981 Japanese tour with [[Herbie Hancock]], led to the formation of his brother Wynton's first [[quintet]], 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]] and [[Dizzy Gillespie]]. |
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[[File:Branford Marsalis Monterey.jpg|thumb|Branford Marsalis at Monterey Jazz Festival 1992]] |
[[File:Branford Marsalis Monterey.jpg|thumb|Branford Marsalis at Monterey Jazz Festival 1992]] |
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In 1985, he joined [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], singer and bassist of rock band [[the Police]], on his first solo project, ''[[The Dream of the Blue Turtles]]'', alongside jazz and session musicians [[Omar Hakim]] on drums, [[Darryl Jones]] on the bass and [[Kenny Kirkland]] 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 (Sting album)|Brand New Day]]'' in 1999. |
In 1985, he joined [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], singer and bassist of rock band [[the Police]], on his first solo project, ''[[The Dream of the Blue Turtles]]'', alongside jazz and session musicians [[Omar Hakim]] on drums, [[Darryl Jones]] on the bass and [[Kenny Kirkland]] 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 (Sting album)|Brand New Day]]'' in 1999. |
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In 1988, Marsalis co-starred in the [[Spike Lee]] film ''[[School Daze]]'', 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]]" over the opening logos of Lee's film ''[[Do the Right Thing]]''. |
In 1988, Marsalis co-starred in the [[Spike Lee]] film ''[[School Daze]]'', 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]]" over the opening logos of Lee's film ''[[Do the Right Thing]]''. |
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Between 1990 and 1994, Branford played with the [[Grateful Dead]] numerous times, and appeared on their 1990 live album ''[[Without a Net]]''. He later appeared on |
Between 1990 and 1994, Branford played with the [[Grateful Dead]] 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."<ref name=":0" /> |
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In 1992, Marsalis became the leader of [[the Tonight Show Band]] on the newly launched ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', after [[Jay Leno]] replaced [[Johnny Carson]]. 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 1992, Marsalis became the leader of [[the Tonight Show Band]] on the newly launched ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]'', after [[Jay Leno]] replaced [[Johnny Carson]]. 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. |
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In 1994, Marsalis formed the group [[Buckshot LeFonque]] (named after a pseudonym once used by [[Cannonball Adderley]]), a jazz group with elements of [[rock music|rock]] and [[hip-hop music|hip-hop]]. That year, they released their first album, ''[[Buckshot LeFonque (album)|Buckshot LeFonque]]'', which was mostly produced by [[DJ Premier]]. |
In 1994, Marsalis formed the group [[Buckshot LeFonque]] (named after a pseudonym once used by [[Cannonball Adderley]]), a jazz group with elements of [[rock music|rock]] and [[hip-hop music|hip-hop]]. That year, they released their first album, ''[[Buckshot LeFonque (album)|Buckshot LeFonque]]'', which was mostly produced by [[DJ Premier]]. |
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Marsalis has also become involved in college education, with appointments at [[Michigan State University]] (1996–2000), [[San Francisco State University]] (2000–2002), and [[North Carolina Central University]] (2005–present). After [[Hurricane Katrina]] in 2005, Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., working with the local [[Habitat for Humanity]], created [[Musicians Village]] in New Orleans, with the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music the centerpiece. |
Marsalis has also become involved in college education, with appointments at [[Michigan State University]] (1996–2000), [[San Francisco State University]] (2000–2002), and [[North Carolina Central University]] (2005–present). After [[Hurricane Katrina]] in 2005, Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., working with the local [[Habitat for Humanity]], created [[Musicians Village]] in New Orleans, with the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music the centerpiece. |
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=== Classical and Broadway projects: |
=== Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–2010 === |
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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]], arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra. This project commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the revered Brazilian composer s death. |
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]], arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra. This project commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the revered Brazilian composer s death. |
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In 2012, Branford Marsalis released ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' on deluxe 180-gram high definition vinyl, prior to [[Record Store Day]] 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]] Best of 2012 Instrumental Jazz Album of the Year. |
In 2012, Branford Marsalis released ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' on deluxe 180-gram high definition vinyl, prior to [[Record Store Day]] 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]] Best of 2012 Instrumental Jazz Album of the Year. |
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Marsalis performed "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Charlotte]]. |
Marsalis performed "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]. |
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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.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marlbank.net/marlbank/a-jazz-blog/4841-new-branford-marsalis-album-cover-unveiled-details.html|title=New Branford Marsalis album cover unveiled + details|website=Marlbank.net|access-date=2019-01-06}}</ref> |
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.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.marlbank.net/marlbank/a-jazz-blog/4841-new-branford-marsalis-album-cover-unveiled-details.html|title=New Branford Marsalis album cover unveiled + details|website=Marlbank.net|access-date=2019-01-06}}</ref> |
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== Personal life == |
== Personal life == |
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Marsalis lives in [[Durham, North Carolina]] with his wife Nicole and their two daughters. He was raised Catholic.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bordelon|first=Christine|date=2020-01-16|title=Ellis Marsalis influenced many of today's artists|url=https://clarionherald.org/news/ellis-marsalis-influenced-many-of-todays-artists|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Clarion Herald|language=en}}</ref> |
Marsalis lives in [[Durham, North Carolina]] with his wife Nicole and their two daughters. He was raised Catholic.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bordelon|first=Christine|date=2020-01-16|title=Ellis Marsalis influenced many of today's artists|url=https://clarionherald.org/news/ellis-marsalis-influenced-many-of-todays-artists|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Clarion Herald|language=en}}</ref> |
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Marsalis plays golf.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==Awards and honors== |
==Awards and honors== |
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* 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]], for their work in the Musicians' Village of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|title=Jefferson Awards FoundationNational - Jefferson Awards Foundation|website=Jeffersonawards.org|access-date=1 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|archive-date=24 November 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
* 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]], for their work in the Musicians' Village of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|title=Jefferson Awards FoundationNational - Jefferson Awards Foundation|website=Jeffersonawards.org|access-date=1 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national|archive-date=24 November 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> |
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* On March 26, 2013, he received the degree of Doctor of Arts Leadership, honoris causa from [[Saint Mary's University of Minnesota]]. |
* On March 26, 2013, he received the degree of Doctor of Arts Leadership, honoris causa from [[Saint Mary's University of Minnesota]]. |
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* In 2023, he received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from [[Duke University]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet the 2023 commencement ceremony honorary degree recipients |url=https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023/05/duke-university-2023-commencement-graduation-honorary-degree-recipients-branford-marsalis-deborah-rutter-susan-solomon-darren-walker |access-date=2023-12-26 |website=The Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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==Instruments and setup== |
==Instruments and setup== |
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*Soprano: His most famous soprano has been a silver [[Selmer Mark VI]] with a modified bent neck. He is said<ref name="SOTW">{{cite web|url=http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?94619-Branford-Marsalis-Soprano&p=1960063&viewfull=1#post1960063|title=Branford Marsalis Soprano - Page 3|website=Forum.saxontheweb.net|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> to now be playing a [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] YSS-82ZR, and uses a [[Henri Selmer Paris|Selmer]] D mouthpiece and [[Vandoren]] V12 Clarinet [[Reed (instrument)|reeds]] 5+<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web|url=http://www.marsalismusic.com/branford-marsalis/faq|title=Branford Marsalis FAQ - Marsalis Music|website=Marsalismusic.com|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> |
*Soprano: His most famous soprano has been a silver [[Selmer Mark VI]] with a modified bent neck. He is said<ref name="SOTW">{{cite web|url=http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php?94619-Branford-Marsalis-Soprano&p=1960063&viewfull=1#post1960063|title=Branford Marsalis Soprano - Page 3|website=Forum.saxontheweb.net|date=19 March 2010 |access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> to now be playing a [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] YSS-82ZR, and uses a [[Henri Selmer Paris|Selmer]] D mouthpiece and [[Vandoren]] V12 Clarinet [[Reed (instrument)|reeds]] 5+<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web|url=http://www.marsalismusic.com/branford-marsalis/faq|title=Branford Marsalis FAQ - Marsalis Music|website=Marsalismusic.com|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> |
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*Alto: [[Cannonball Musical Instruments|Cannonball]] Vintage Series (model AV/LG-L)<ref name="Cannonball">{{cite web|url=http://cannonballmusic.com/bmarsalis.php|title=Cannonball Saxophones - Branford Marsalis|website=Cannonballmusic.com|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> with a Selmer Classic C mouthpiece and Vandoren #5<ref name="FAQ"/> |
*Alto: [[Cannonball Musical Instruments|Cannonball]] Vintage Series (model AV/LG-L)<ref name="Cannonball">{{cite web|url=http://cannonballmusic.com/bmarsalis.php|title=Cannonball Saxophones - Branford Marsalis|website=Cannonballmusic.com|access-date=1 May 2016}}</ref> with a Selmer Classic C mouthpiece and Vandoren #5<ref name="FAQ"/> |
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*Tenor: Selmer Super Balanced Action with a Fred Lebayle 8 mouthpiece and Alexander Superial size 3.5 reeds<ref name="FAQ"/> |
*Tenor: Selmer Super Balanced Action with a Fred Lebayle 8 mouthpiece and Alexander Superial size 3.5 reeds<ref name="FAQ"/> |
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*Interviewed on [[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]] 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. |
*Interviewed on [[Space Ghost Coast to Coast]] 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. |
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*Marsalis was featured in [[Shanice]]'s 1992 hit "[[I Love Your Smile]]". In the second half of the song, he has a solo and Shanice says, "Blow, Branford, Blow" |
*Marsalis was featured in [[Shanice]]'s 1992 hit "[[I Love Your Smile]]". In the second half of the song, he has a solo and Shanice says, "Blow, Branford, Blow" |
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*He played the role of Lester in the movie ''[[Throw Momma from the Train]]'' (1987) and the role of |
*He played the role of Lester in the movie ''[[Throw Momma from the Train]]'' (1987) and the role of Jordan in [[Spike Lee]]'s 1988 musical-drama film ''[[School Daze]]''. |
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*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]]'' (1994). |
*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]]'' (1994). |
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*Interviews with Marsalis are featured prominently in the documentary ''[[Before the Music Dies]]'' (2006). |
*Interviews with Marsalis are featured prominently in the documentary ''[[Before the Music Dies]]'' (2006). |
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* Marsalis was a guest judge on the final episode of [[Top Chef (season 5)|the fifth season of ''Top Chef'']] which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. |
* Marsalis was a guest judge on the final episode of [[Top Chef (season 5)|the fifth season of ''Top Chef'']] which took place in New Orleans, Louisiana. |
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* On April 28 and 29, 2009, Marsalis played with [[The Dead (band)|the Dead]] (the remaining members of the [[Grateful Dead]]) 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. |
* On April 28 and 29, 2009, Marsalis played with [[The Dead (band)|the Dead]] (the remaining members of the [[Grateful Dead]]) 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,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.org/details/gd1990-03-29.senn-me80.litzenberger.91347.sbeok.flac16|title=Grateful Dead Live at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on 1990-03-29|date=March 29, 1990|website=Archive.org}}</ref> during which, according to Dead aficionados,{{who|date=October 2019}} one of the greatest renditions of "Eyes of the World", was performed. |
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* On July 21, 2010, Marsalis guested with [[Dave Matthews Band]] 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]] and [[Gov't Mule]] on a cover of [[Bob Dylan|Bob Dylan's]] "[[All Along the Watchtower]]" on December 16, 2006, in Asheville, NC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.aspx?id=453056786&tid=110&where=2010|title=DMBAlmanac.com²|website=Dmbalmanac.com}}</ref> Marsalis performed with the [[Dave Matthews Band]] 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").<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dmbalmanac.com/GuestStats.aspx?gid=152|title=DMBAlmanac.com²|website=Dmbalmanac.com}}</ref> |
* On July 21, 2010, Marsalis guested with [[Dave Matthews Band]] 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]] and [[Gov't Mule]] on a cover of [[Bob Dylan|Bob Dylan's]] "[[All Along the Watchtower]]" on December 16, 2006, in Asheville, NC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dmbalmanac.com/TourShowSet.aspx?id=453056786&tid=110&where=2010|title=DMBAlmanac.com²|website=Dmbalmanac.com}}</ref> Marsalis performed with the [[Dave Matthews Band]] 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").<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dmbalmanac.com/GuestStats.aspx?gid=152|title=DMBAlmanac.com²|website=Dmbalmanac.com}}</ref> |
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* 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 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. |
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* ''Romances for Saxophone'' (CBS Masterworks, 1986) |
* ''Romances for Saxophone'' (CBS Masterworks, 1986) |
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* ''[[Royal Garden Blues (album)|Royal Garden Blues]]'' (CBS, 1986) |
* ''[[Royal Garden Blues (album)|Royal Garden Blues]]'' (CBS, 1986) |
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* ''Renaissance'' (Columbia, 1987) |
* ''[[Renaissance (Branford Marsalis album)|Renaissance]]'' (Columbia, 1987) |
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* ''[[Random Abstract]]'' (CBS/Sony, 1988) |
* ''[[Random Abstract]]'' (CBS/Sony, 1988) |
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* ''[[Trio Jeepy]]'' (CBS, 1989) |
* ''[[Trio Jeepy]]'' (CBS, 1989) |
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* ''[[Crazy People Music (album)|Crazy People Music]]'' ([[Sony Music]], 1990) |
* ''[[Crazy People Music (album)|Crazy People Music]]'' ([[Sony Music|Sony]], 1990) |
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* ''[[Mo' Better Blues (soundtrack)|Mo' Better Blues]]'' (Columbia, 1990) |
* ''[[Mo' Better Blues (soundtrack)|Mo' Better Blues]]'' (Columbia, 1990) |
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* ''[[The Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born (album)|The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born]]'' (Sony |
* ''[[The Beautyful Ones are Not Yet Born (album)|The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born]]'' (Sony, 1991) |
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* ''Herve Sellin Sextet/Brandford Marsalis'' (Columbia, 1991) |
* ''Herve Sellin Sextet/Brandford Marsalis'' (Columbia, 1991) |
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* ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]'' (Columbia, 1992) |
* ''[[Sneakers (1992 film)|Sneakers]]'' (Columbia, 1992) |
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* ''[[I Heard You Twice the First Time (album)|I Heard You Twice the First Time]]'' (Columbia, 1992) |
* ''[[I Heard You Twice the First Time (album)|I Heard You Twice the First Time]]'' (Columbia, 1992) |
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* ''David and Goliath'' (Rabbit Ears, 1992) |
* ''David and Goliath'' (Rabbit Ears, 1992) |
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* ''[[Bloomington (album)|Bloomington]]'' (Columbia, 1993) |
* ''[[Bloomington (album)|Bloomington]]'' (Columbia, 1993) |
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* [[Buckshot LeFonque]], ''[[Buckshot LeFonque (album)|Buckshot LeFonque]]'' (Sony |
* [[Buckshot LeFonque]], ''[[Buckshot LeFonque (album)|Buckshot LeFonque]]'' (Sony, 1994) |
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* ''[[Loved Ones (album)|Loved Ones]]'' with Ellis Marsalis (Columbia, 1996) |
* ''[[Loved Ones (album)|Loved Ones]]'' with Ellis Marsalis (Columbia, 1996) |
||
* ''[[The Dark Keys]]'' (Sony Music, 1996) |
* ''[[The Dark Keys]]'' (Sony Music, 1996) |
||
* Buckshot LeFonque, ''[[Music Evolution]]'' (Sony |
* Buckshot LeFonque, ''[[Music Evolution]]'' (Sony, 1997) |
||
* ''[[Requiem (Branford Marsalis album)|Requiem]]'' (Sony |
* ''[[Requiem (Branford Marsalis album)|Requiem]]'' (Sony, 1999) |
||
* ''[[Contemporary Jazz (Branford Marsalis album)|Contemporary Jazz]]'' (Sony |
* ''[[Contemporary Jazz (Branford Marsalis album)|Contemporary Jazz]]'' (Sony, 2000) |
||
* ''[[Creation (Branford Marsalis album)|Creation]]'' with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Sony Classical, 2001) |
* ''[[Creation (Branford Marsalis album)|Creation]]'' with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Sony Classical, 2001) |
||
* ''[[Footsteps of Our Fathers (Branford Marsalis album)|Footsteps of Our Fathers]]'' ([[Marsalis Music]], 2002) |
* ''[[Footsteps of Our Fathers (Branford Marsalis album)|Footsteps of Our Fathers]]'' ([[Marsalis Music]], 2002) |
||
Line 136: | Line 141: | ||
* ''Songs of Mirth and Melancholy'' with Joey Calderazzo (Marsalis Music, 2011) |
* ''Songs of Mirth and Melancholy'' with Joey Calderazzo (Marsalis Music, 2011) |
||
* ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' (Marsalis Music, 2012) |
* ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' (Marsalis Music, 2012) |
||
* ''Romances for Saxophone'' (Sony Music, 2013) |
|||
* ''In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral'' (Marsalis Music, 2014) |
* ''In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral'' (Marsalis Music, 2014) |
||
* ''[[Upward Spiral (album)|Upward Spiral]]'' with [[Kurt Elling]] (Marsalis Music, 2016) |
* ''[[Upward Spiral (album)|Upward Spiral]]'' with [[Kurt Elling]] (Marsalis Music, 2016) |
||
* ''[[The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul]]'' (Marsalis Music, 2019) |
* ''[[The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul]]'' (Marsalis Music, 2019) |
||
* ''Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'' (Milan, 2020) |
|||
=== As sideman or guest === |
=== As sideman or guest === |
||
Line 145: | Line 150: | ||
{{col-2}} |
{{col-2}} |
||
'''With [[Art Blakey]]''' |
'''With [[Art Blakey]]''' |
||
* 1980: ''[[Live at Montreux and Northsea]]'' (Timeless, 1981) |
* 1980: ''[[Live at Montreux and Northsea]]'' (Timeless, 1981) |
||
* 1981: ''[[Killer Joe (George Kawaguchi & Art Blakey album)|Killer Joe]]'' ( |
* 1981: ''[[Killer Joe (George Kawaguchi & Art Blakey album)|Killer Joe]]'' (Union Jazz, 1982) |
||
* 1982: ''[[Keystone 3]]'' (Concord Jazz, 1982) |
* 1982: ''[[Keystone 3]]'' (Concord Jazz, 1982) |
||
'''With [[Terence Blanchard]]''' |
'''With [[Terence Blanchard]]''' |
||
* ''[[Terence Blanchard (Terence Blanchard album)|Terence Blanchard]]'' (Columbia, 1991) |
* ''[[Terence Blanchard (Terence Blanchard album)|Terence Blanchard]]'' (Columbia, 1991) |
||
* ''Malcolm X: The Original Motion Picture Score'' (Columbia, 1992) |
* ''Malcolm X: The Original Motion Picture Score'' (Columbia, 1992) |
||
* ''[[Wandering Moon]]'' (Sony Classical, 2000) |
* ''[[Wandering Moon]]'' (Sony Classical, 2000) |
||
'''With [[Joey Calderazzo]]''' |
'''With [[Joey Calderazzo]]''' |
||
Line 178: | Line 183: | ||
'''With [[Grateful Dead]]''' |
'''With [[Grateful Dead]]''' |
||
* ''[[Without a Net]]'' (Arista, 1990) |
* ''[[Without a Net]]'' (Arista, 1990) |
||
* ''[[Infrared Roses]]'' (Grateful Dead, 1991) |
* ''[[Infrared Roses]]'' (Grateful Dead, 1991) |
||
* ''[[Spring 1990 (The Other One)]]'' ([[Rhino Entertainment]], 2014) |
* ''[[Spring 1990 (The Other One)]]'' ([[Rhino Entertainment]], 2014) |
||
* ''[[Wake Up to Find Out]]'' (Rhino Entertainment, 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". |
* ''[[The Best of the Grateful Dead Live]]'' (Rhino Entertainment, 2018) - compilation. on 1 track "Eyes of the World". |
||
Line 221: | Line 226: | ||
* ''[[Mercury Falling]]'' (A&M, 1996) |
* ''[[Mercury Falling]]'' (A&M, 1996) |
||
* ''[[Brand New Day (Sting album)|Brand New Day]]'' (A&M, 1999) |
* ''[[Brand New Day (Sting album)|Brand New Day]]'' (A&M, 1999) |
||
* ''[[Live in Berlin (Sting album)|Live in Berlin]]'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 2010) |
* ''[[Live in Berlin (Sting album)|Live in Berlin]]'' (Deutsche Grammophon, 2010) |
||
* ''[[44/876]]'' (Interscope/A&M, 2018) |
* ''[[44/876]]'' (Interscope/A&M, 2018) |
||
* ''[[My Songs]]'' (A&M, 2019) |
* ''[[My Songs]]'' (A&M, 2019) |
||
Line 242: | Line 247: | ||
* [[Allman Brothers]], ''Cream of the Crop'' (Peach, 2018) |
* [[Allman Brothers]], ''Cream of the Crop'' (Peach, 2018) |
||
* [[Victor Bailey (musician)|Victor Bailey]], ''Bottom's Up'' (Atlantic, 1989) |
* [[Victor Bailey (musician)|Victor Bailey]], ''Bottom's Up'' (Atlantic, 1989) |
||
* [[Joanne Brackeen]], ''[[Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven]]'' (Concord Jazz, 1987) |
* [[Joanne Brackeen]], ''[[Fi-Fi Goes to Heaven]]'' (Concord Jazz, 1987) |
||
* [[Alex Bugnon]], ''As Promised'' (Narada/Virgin, 2000) |
* [[Alex Bugnon]], ''As Promised'' (Narada/Virgin, 2000) |
||
* [[Mary Chapin Carpenter]], ''Stones in the Road'' (Columbia, 1994) |
* [[Mary Chapin Carpenter]], ''Stones in the Road'' (Columbia, 1994) |
||
Line 248: | Line 253: | ||
* [[Ornette Coleman]], ''Celebrate Ornette'' (Song X, 2016) |
* [[Ornette Coleman]], ''Celebrate Ornette'' (Song X, 2016) |
||
* [[Steve Coleman]], ''Sine Die'' (Pangaea, 1988) |
* [[Steve Coleman]], ''Sine Die'' (Pangaea, 1988) |
||
* [[Crosby, Stills & Nash]], ''[[Live It Up (Crosby, Stills & Nash album)|Live It Up]]'' (Atlantic, 1990) |
* [[Crosby, Stills & Nash]], ''[[Live It Up (Crosby, Stills & Nash album)|Live It Up]]'' (Atlantic, 1990) |
||
* [[Miles Davis]], ''[[Decoy (album)|Decoy]]'' (Columbia, 1984) |
* [[Miles Davis]], ''[[Decoy (album)|Decoy]]'' (Columbia, 1984) |
||
* [[Dirty Dozen Brass Band]], ''Voodoo'' (Columbia, 1989) |
* [[Dirty Dozen Brass Band]], ''Voodoo'' (Columbia, 1989) |
||
* [[Ray Drummond]], ''Susanita'' (Nilva, 1984) |
* [[Ray Drummond]], ''Susanita'' (Nilva, 1984) |
||
* [[Kurt Elling]], ''The Questions'' (Okeh, 2018) |
* [[Kurt Elling]], ''The Questions'' (Okeh, 2018) |
||
Line 256: | Line 261: | ||
* [[Robin Eubanks]], ''[[Karma (Robin Eubanks album)|Karma]]'' (JMT, 1991) |
* [[Robin Eubanks]], ''[[Karma (Robin Eubanks album)|Karma]]'' (JMT, 1991) |
||
* [[Charles Fambrough]], ''The Proper Angle'' (CTI, 1991) |
* [[Charles Fambrough]], ''The Proper Angle'' (CTI, 1991) |
||
* [[Benny Golson]], ''[[Tenor Legacy (Benny Golson album)|Tenor Legacy]]'' (Arkadia Jazz, 1998) |
* [[Benny Golson]], ''[[Tenor Legacy (Benny Golson album)|Tenor Legacy]]'' (Arkadia Jazz, 1998) |
||
* [[Paul Grabowsky]], ''Tales Of Time And Space'' (Sanctuary, 2005) |
* [[Paul Grabowsky]], ''Tales Of Time And Space'' (Sanctuary, 2005) |
||
* [[Dave Grusin]], ''Migration'' (GRP, 1989) |
* [[Dave Grusin]], ''Migration'' (GRP, 1989) |
||
Line 265: | Line 270: | ||
* [[Shirley Horn]], ''You Won't Forget Me'' (Verve, 1991) |
* [[Shirley Horn]], ''You Won't Forget Me'' (Verve, 1991) |
||
* [[James Horner]], ''Sneakers'' (Columbia, 1992) |
* [[James Horner]], ''Sneakers'' (Columbia, 1992) |
||
* [[Bruce Hornsby]], ''[[Harbor Lights (album)|Harbor Lights]]'' (RCA, 1993) |
* [[Bruce Hornsby]], ''[[Harbor Lights (Bruce Hornsby album)|Harbor Lights]]'' (RCA, 1993) |
||
* [[Robert Hurst (musician)|Robert Hurst]], ''Robert Hurst Presents: Robert Hurst'' (Columbia, 1993) |
* [[Robert Hurst (musician)|Robert Hurst]], ''Robert Hurst Presents: Robert Hurst'' (Columbia, 1993) |
||
* [[Bobby Hutcherson]], ''[[Good Bait (album)|Good Bait]]'' (Landmark, 1985) |
* [[Bobby Hutcherson]], ''[[Good Bait (album)|Good Bait]]'' (Landmark, 1985) |
||
Line 298: | Line 303: | ||
* [[Nancy Wilson (jazz singer)|Nancy Wilson]], ''Forbidden Lover'' (CBS, 1993) |
* [[Nancy Wilson (jazz singer)|Nancy Wilson]], ''Forbidden Lover'' (CBS, 1993) |
||
* [[Ben Wolfe]], ''No Stranger Here'' ([[Maxjazz]], 2008) |
* [[Ben Wolfe]], ''No Stranger Here'' ([[Maxjazz]], 2008) |
||
* [[Stevie Wonder]], ''[[Conversation Peace]]'' (Motown, 1995) |
* [[Stevie Wonder]], ''[[Conversation Peace]]'' (Motown, 1995) |
||
{{col-end}} |
{{col-end}} |
||
Line 305: | Line 310: | ||
*''[[School Daze]]'' (1988) |
*''[[School Daze]]'' (1988) |
||
*''[[Living Single]]'' Season 2 (1994–95) |
*''[[Living Single]]'' Season 2 (1994–95) |
||
*''[[Mr. and Mrs. Loving]]'' (1996; composer) |
|||
*''[[Eve's Bayou]]'' (Harry) (1997) |
|||
⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Line 324: | Line 328: | ||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120510065738/http://commencement.unc.edu/news/120319-honorary-degrees.php Branford Marsalis] at [[University of North Carolina]] Confers Doctor of Music |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120510065738/http://commencement.unc.edu/news/120319-honorary-degrees.php Branford Marsalis] at [[University of North Carolina]] Confers Doctor of Music |
||
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/music/06mars.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1329132481-2bpqxS9KEY6evSVlmTbRBA Branford Marsalis] at ''[[The New York Times]]'' |
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/06/arts/music/06mars.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1329132481-2bpqxS9KEY6evSVlmTbRBA Branford Marsalis] at ''[[The New York Times]]'' |
||
* [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/branford-marsalis Branford Marsalis |
* [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/branford-marsalis Branford Marsalis Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (March 21, 2015) |
||
{{s-start}} |
{{s-start}} |
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{{succession box|title=''[[The Tonight Show]]'' bandleader|before=[[Doc Severinsen]]|after=[[Kevin Eubanks]]|years=1992–1995}} |
{{succession box|title=''[[The Tonight Show]]'' bandleader|before=[[Doc Severinsen]]|after=[[Kevin Eubanks]]|years=1992–1995}} |
||
{{s-end}} |
{{s-end}} |
||
⚫ | |||
{{Branford Marsalis|state=autocollapse}} |
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⚫ | |||
{{Jazz Messengers}} |
{{Jazz Messengers}} |
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{{DramaDesk MusicPlay}} |
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{{TonightShow}} |
|||
{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:African-American film score composers]] |
[[Category:African-American film score composers]] |
||
[[Category:American film score composers]] |
[[Category:American film score composers]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:American male film score composers]] |
||
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]] |
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]] |
Revision as of 04:00, 6 August 2024
Branford Marsalis | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, U.S. | August 26, 1960
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation | Musician |
Instruments | |
Years active | 1980–present |
Labels | |
Formerly of | The Tonight Show Band |
Website | branfordmarsalis |
Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz 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.
Early life
Marsalis was born on August 26, 1960, in New Orleans.[1] He is the son of Dolores (née Ferdinand), a jazz singer and substitute teacher, and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor.[2][3] His brothers Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Delfeayo Marsalis are also jazz musicians.
Career
Musical beginnings: 1980–1985
This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (March 2022) |
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.[4][5]
Marsalis then attended Southern University, a historically black college in Baton Rouge, where he studied under renowned jazz clarinetist Alvin Batiste. At the encouragement of Batiste, Marsalis later transferred to Berklee College of Music in Boston. While a student at Berklee, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and tenor saxophone in a large ensemble led by drummer Art Blakey. Other big band experiences with Lionel Hampton and Clark Terry followed over the next year, and by the end of 1981 Marsalis, on alto saxophone, had joined his brother Wynton in Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Other performances with his brother, including a 1981 Japanese tour with Herbie Hancock, led to the formation of his brother Wynton's first quintet, 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 and Dizzy Gillespie.
Expanded output: 1985–1995
In 1985, he joined Sting, singer and bassist of rock band the Police, on his first solo project, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, alongside jazz and session musicians Omar Hakim on drums, Darryl Jones on the bass and Kenny Kirkland 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 and bass player Robert Hurst. That year, they released their first album, Royal Garden Blues. 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 for Best Instrumental Jazz Album, Individual or Group.
In 1988, Marsalis co-starred in the Spike Lee film School Daze, 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" over the opening logos of Lee's film Do the Right Thing.
Between 1990 and 1994, Branford played with the Grateful Dead 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."[4]
In 1992, Marsalis became the leader of the Tonight Show Band on the newly launched The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, after Jay Leno replaced Johnny Carson. 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), a jazz group with elements of rock and hip-hop. That year, they released their first album, Buckshot LeFonque, which was mostly produced by DJ Premier.
In 1994, Marsalis appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation CD, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool.[6] The album, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in African American society, was named Album of the Year by Time.
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. 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".[7]
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. 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.[8]
In 2002, Marsalis founded his own label, Marsalis Music. Its catalogue includes Claudia Acuña, Harry Connick Jr., Doug Wamble, Miguel Zenón, in addition to albums by members of the Marsalis family.[9]
Marsalis has also become involved in college education, with appointments at Michigan State University (1996–2000), San Francisco State University (2000–2002), and North Carolina Central University (2005–present). After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., working with the local Habitat for Humanity, 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, 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 for American Spectrum, released in February 2009 by Sweden's BIS Records. The album showcases Marsalis and the orchestra performing a range of American music by Michael Daugherty, John Williams, Ned Rorem and Christopher Rouse, while being conducted by Grant Llewellyn.
Marsalis wrote the music for the 2010 Broadway revival of the August Wilson play Fences.
On July 14, 2010, Marsalis made his debut with the New York Philharmonic on Central Park's Great Lawn. Led by conductor Andrey Boreyko, Marsalis and the New York Philharmonic performed Glazunov's "Concerto for Alto Saxophone" and Schuloff's "Hot-Sonate for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra." Boreyko, Marsalis and the Philharmonic 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, Marsalis Music. Their first public performance was at the 2011 TD Toronto Jazz Festival.
In 2012, Branford Marsalis released Four MFs Playin' Tunes on deluxe 180-gram high definition vinyl, prior to Record Store Day 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 Best of 2012 Instrumental Jazz Album of the Year.
Marsalis performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the Democratic National Convention 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.”[10]
Personal life
Marsalis lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Nicole and their two daughters. He was raised Catholic.[11]
Marsalis plays golf.[4]
Awards and honors
- The Branford Marsalis Quartet received a Grammy Award in 2001 for their album Contemporary Jazz.
- In September 2006, Branford Marsalis was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. During his acceptance ceremony, he was honored with a tribute performance featuring music throughout his career.[12]
- Marsalis won the 2010 Drama Desk Award in the category "Outstanding Music in a Play" and was also nominated for a 2010 Tony Award in the category of "Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre" for his participation in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's Fences.
- Marsalis, with his father and brothers, were group recipients of the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award.[13]
- In May 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.[14]
- 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, for their work in the Musicians' Village of New Orleans.[15]
- On March 26, 2013, he received the degree of Doctor of Arts Leadership, honoris causa from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.
- In 2023, he received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Duke University.[16]
Instruments and setup
- Soprano: His most famous soprano has been a silver Selmer Mark VI with a modified bent neck. He is said[17] to now be playing a Yamaha YSS-82ZR, and uses a Selmer D mouthpiece and Vandoren V12 Clarinet reeds 5+[18]
- Alto: Cannonball Vintage Series (model AV/LG-L)[19] with a Selmer Classic C mouthpiece and Vandoren #5[18]
- Tenor: Selmer Super Balanced Action with a Fred Lebayle 8 mouthpiece and Alexander Superial size 3.5 reeds[18]
Other appearances
- Marsalis performed alongside Sting and Phil Collins at the London Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium on July 13, 1985.
- Featured as saxophonist on "Fight the Power" (1989) by Public Enemy.
- Marsalis assembled a band he called X-Men to open for the Grateful Dead at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on December 31, 1990. Other members were Kevin Eubanks, Robert Hurst, and Jeff Watts.
- 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 stands up for the accordion; later guest Yo-Yo Ma claimed the saxophone was in fact the sexiest.
- Interviewed on Space Ghost Coast to Coast 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'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 (1987) and the role of Jordan in Spike Lee's 1988 musical-drama film School Daze.
- 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 (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 Grateful Dead) 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,[20] during which, according to Dead aficionados,[who?] one of the greatest renditions of "Eyes of the World", was performed.
- On July 21, 2010, Marsalis guested with Dave Matthews Band 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 and Gov't Mule on a cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" on December 16, 2006, in Asheville, NC.[21] Marsalis performed with the Dave Matthews Band 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").[22]
- 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 for their second night of a two night headlining performance at Lock'n Festival on August 26, 2018.[23]
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 (CBS, 1986)
- Renaissance (Columbia, 1987)
- Random Abstract (CBS/Sony, 1988)
- Trio Jeepy (CBS, 1989)
- Crazy People Music (Sony, 1990)
- Mo' Better Blues (Columbia, 1990)
- The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born (Sony, 1991)
- Herve Sellin Sextet/Brandford Marsalis (Columbia, 1991)
- Sneakers (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 (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 (Marsalis Music, 2003)
- Eternal (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)
- In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral (Marsalis Music, 2014)
- Upward Spiral with Kurt Elling (Marsalis Music, 2016)
- The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul (Marsalis Music, 2019)
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (Milan, 2020)
As sideman or guest
With Art Blakey
With Terence Blanchard
With Joey Calderazzo
With Harry Connick Jr.
With Bela Fleck
With Dizzy Gillespie
With Grateful Dead
With Roy Hargrove
With Anna Maria Jopek
With Delfeayo Marsalis
With Ellis Marsalis Jr.
With Wynton Marsalis
With Frank McComb
With Sting
With James Taylor
With Doug Wamble
With Jeff "Tain" Watts
|
With others
|
Filmography
- Throw Momma From the Train (1987)
- School Daze (1988)
- Living Single Season 2 (1994–95)
- Mr. and Mrs. Loving (1996; composer)
- Eve's Bayou (Harry) (1997)
- Branford Marsalis - The Sound Illusionist (2016)
See also
References
- ^ Collar, Matt. "Branford Marsalis – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ Stated on Finding Your Roots, PBS, March 25, 2012
- ^ "Branford Marsalis Biography (1960-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "Interview with Branford Marsalis". Interviews with Max Raskin. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ Ratliff, Ben (2006-10-06). "Walking a Beat With an Officer of the Jazz Police". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-06-22.
- ^ "Various Artists - Stolen Moments: Red Hot & Cool". Amazon.com. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ "Former "Tonight Show" bandleader Branford Marsalis said he "despised" ..." Associated Press. September 28, 1995.
- ^ "village voice music > Weather Bird: Go Tell It on the Mountain by Gary Giddins". July 4, 2008. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008.
- ^ "Branford Marsalis embraces the jazz tradition | chronicle.augusta.com". Chronicle.augusta.com. Associated Press. 30 January 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
- ^ "New Branford Marsalis album cover unveiled + details". Marlbank.net. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- ^ Bordelon, Christine (2020-01-16). "Ellis Marsalis influenced many of today's artists". Clarion Herald. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- ^ "Branford Marsalis to Accept Honorary Degree at Berklee". Home.nestor.minsk.by. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ National Endowment for the Arts (June 24, 2010). "National Endowment for the Arts Announces the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters". Washington: National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. Retrieved July 19, 2010.
For the first time in the program's 29-year history, in addition to four individual awards, the NEA will present a group award to the Marsalis family, New Orleans' venerable first family of jazz.
- ^ "Carolina Commencement to feature Mayor Bloomberg as speaker May 13 - College of Arts & Sciences". Unc.edu. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ "Jefferson Awards FoundationNational - Jefferson Awards Foundation". Jeffersonawards.org. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ "Meet the 2023 commencement ceremony honorary degree recipients". The Chronicle. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
- ^ "Branford Marsalis Soprano - Page 3". Forum.saxontheweb.net. 19 March 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "Branford Marsalis FAQ - Marsalis Music". Marsalismusic.com. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ "Cannonball Saxophones - Branford Marsalis". Cannonballmusic.com. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
- ^ "Grateful Dead Live at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on 1990-03-29". Archive.org. March 29, 1990.
- ^ "DMBAlmanac.com²". Dmbalmanac.com.
- ^ "DMBAlmanac.com²". Dmbalmanac.com.
- ^ Gehr, Richard (May 2, 2018). "Grateful Dead Members to Reunite With Branford Marsalis at Lockn' Fest". Rolling Stone.
External links
- Branford Marsalis – official site
- Branford Marsalis discography at Discogs
- Branford Marsalis at IMDb
- Branford Marsalis at Marsalis Music
- Branford Marsalis interview with Eric Jackson from WGBH Radio Boston
- Branford Marsalis at University of North Carolina Confers Doctor of Music
- Branford Marsalis at The New York Times
- Branford Marsalis Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (March 21, 2015)
- 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
- American male film score composers
- 20th-century African-American musicians