One of the most prominent jazz musicians of the past 40 years is trumpet player, composer, band leader and music educator Wynton Marsalis. The second of six sons in the Marsalis family of musicians from New Orleans, Wynton was born on October 18, 1961.

The son of pianist Ellis Marsalis who was friends with many jazz greats, Wynton was named after pianist Wynton Kelly. One night when Wynton was 6, his father was hosting Miles Davis, Al Hirt and Clark Terry at their home and jokingly suggested he should get Wynton a trumpet, too. Al Hirt volunteered and bought Wynton his first horn.

Wynton attended a high school for the performing arts and studied both classical and jazz trumpet. He was the only Black musician in the New Orleans Civic Orchestra. When he was 14 he won a contest and performed Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto with the New Orleans Philharmonic. At 17 he attended the Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts and was admitted to Julliard in 1979.

Between 1980 and 1982 Wynton Marsalis was a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and made his first recordings with that group. After spending some time touring with Herbie Hancock after leaving Blakey’s employ, Marsalis was signed to Columbia Records and his first album as a leader was released on January 8, 1982. He was the first musician to win Grammy awards in both the classical and jazz categories in the same year. In all, Marsalis has won nine Grammys.

In 1987 Marsalis was instrumental in beginning the “Classical Jazz” summer series at Lincoln Center in New York City. This eventually led to Jazz at Lincoln Center being recognized as its own entity and eventually to the formation of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Wynton Marsalis has been the director of the program as well as musical director of the orchestra.

Wynton Marsalis’ career has not been without controversy. He has indicated that he considers much of the music jazz musicians have created since 1965 to be outside the realm of jazz, in part, at least, due to the use of electronic instruments and the heavy influence of rock and pop music. His opinions have put him at odds sometimes with musicians like Keith Jarrett and Stanley Clarke, as well as with some critics.

Marsalis has won the Pulitzer Prize for Music, has been named an NEA Jazz Master and is one of the youngest members ever inducted into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame. He has also been honored with honorary doctorates from twelve universities. He remains one of the most important figures in jazz today.

Here is a link to Wynton with his quartet playing at a festival in 1987:

"EQUINOX"