Wynton Marsalis

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Wynton Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, educator and a leading advocate of American culture. He is the world’s first jazz artist to perform and compose across the full jazz spectrum from its New Orleans roots to bebop to modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers.

Early Years
Wynton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961, to Ellis and Dolores Marsalis, the second of six sons. At an early age he exhibited a superior aptitude for music and a desire to participate in American culture. At age eight Wynton performed traditional New Orleans music in the Fairview Baptist Church band led by legendary banjoist Danny Barker, and at 14 he performed with the New Orleans Philharmonic. During high school Wynton performed with the New Orleans Symphony Brass Quintet, New Orleans Community Concert Band, New Orleans Youth Orchestra, New Orleans Symphony, various jazz bands and with the popular local funk band, the Creators.

At age 17 Wynton became the youngest musician ever to be admitted to Tanglewood’s Berkshire Music Center. Despite his youth, he was awarded the school’s prestigious Harvey Shapiro Award for outstanding brass student. Wynton moved to New York City to attend Juilliard in 1979.
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  • I_LOVE_DONUTS

    Oh my, people are still discussing this traditionalist x modern jazz thing? There's some many ways to find jazz music nowadays (sup internet) that i don't think what Marsalis think have this huge of an impact.

    Sunday afternoon

  • RaulLipschitz

    Wynton Marsalis has been the worst thing to happen to the music in years. The great dictator of improvised retro-futurism. He's turned jazz into a living museum people, come on! But whatever.... it will all die soon enough, and then...when it does, Lincoln center will be it's tomb. And when wynton finally goes, they'll put him on display in the LC lobby (you know, like they did with Lenin in Red Square). Das Vidanya, Jazz. Thanks for the memories.

    10 days ago

  • Melpomene_24

    C'est Magnifique

    January 2012

  • bonzoWhale

    How is Marsalis not innovative? Granted, he goes back to basics, but he takes the classics beyond that. Just look at the Vitoria Suite, what a way to merge two cultures musically! Not to mention what they did live in those concerts, drawing from several North and South American cultures to do something quite unique... That's definitely some serious innovation.

    December 2011

  • SoulJazzsterInc

    Glad to hear someone who agrees :) I agree that he's being criticized for not being very innovative, that's a respectable point. But who are those people (like Keith Jarrett, for instance) who can honestly tell this man plays with no soul at all? I strongly disagree with that.

    November 2011

  • RonZol

    Excellent!

    November 2011

  • spincat

    It's interesting what SoulJazzsterInc has said that there are the innovators and the classicists who defend the tradition. He strongly defends the innovation and ironically it is what makes him a traditional guy simply because he defends an OLDER/original innovation (of Jazz) while rejecting a lot of newer ones. Also, I agree about his smug character. It's like he's the guy you don't want to argue with because it'll ruin your weekend completely. P.S. Great musician, nevertheless and love listening to him (play).

    October 2011

  • kaly_

    Happy Birthday, dear Wynton !!! <3

    October 2011
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Wynton and Paul Simon on CBS This Morning

30 May 2012 | from www.wyntonmarsalis.org

( CBS News) For 50 years, Paul Simon has been a leader in American pop music. He’s written dozens of classic songs like “The Sound of Silence” and “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and …

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