Wynton Marsalis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wynton Marsalis
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Marsalis at the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center Seventh Annual Jazz Festival, 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Wynton Learson Marsalis |
| Born | October 18, 1961 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
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| Instruments | Trumpet |
| Years active | 1980–present |
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| Children | Jasper Armstrong Marsalis (son) |
| Parent(s) | Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and Ellis Marsalis Jr. |
| Relatives | Ellis Marsalis Sr. (grandfather); Branford Marsalis, Jason Marsalis and Delfeayo Marsalis (brothers) |
Wynton Learson Marsalis, born on October 18, 1961, is a famous American trumpeter and composer. He is also a dedicated music teacher. Currently, he leads the artistic programs at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Marsalis works hard to share both classical and jazz music with people, especially young listeners. He has won nine Grammy Awards. His special musical work, Blood on the Fields, made history in 1997. It was the first jazz piece ever to win the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Music. Wynton Marsalis is unique because he won Grammy Awards in both jazz and classical music in the same year.
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Growing Up and Learning Music
Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961. He grew up in a town nearby called Kenner. He was one of six sons. His father, Ellis Marsalis Jr., was a pianist and music teacher. Wynton was named after another jazz pianist, Wynton Kelly. His brothers, Branford Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, and Delfeayo Marsalis, are also talented jazz musicians.
When Wynton was six, a famous trumpeter named Al Hirt gave him his first trumpet. This happened after Wynton's father joked about getting him one. Even though he had a trumpet, Wynton didn't start practicing seriously until he was 12.
He went to Benjamin Franklin High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. At school, he studied classical music. At home, his father taught him jazz. He also played in different bands, including funk bands and a marching band. When he was 14, Wynton won a music competition. He then played a trumpet concerto by Joseph Haydn with the New Orleans Philharmonic. Two years later, he performed a piece by Bach. At 17, he was one of the youngest students accepted into the Tanglewood Music Center. He later chose to study at the famous Juilliard School in New York City.
A Career in Music
In 1979, Wynton moved to New York City. He studied trumpet at the Juilliard School. He left in 1981 to start his professional career. At first, he thought he would play classical music.
However, in 1980, he joined Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers. He toured Europe with them. Playing with this group helped him decide to focus on jazz. He recorded his first music with Blakey. A year later, he toured with another jazz legend, Herbie Hancock.
Wynton signed with Columbia and released his first solo album. In 1982, he started his own jazz group. His brother Branford Marsalis was in this group. Later, he formed a quartet with Marcus Roberts on piano. This group grew to include many other talented musicians.
Wynton Marsalis looks up to many jazz greats. Some of his musical heroes include Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Charlie Parker. He is known for sharing his knowledge. He often gives talks and acts as a musical ambassador. Some people even call him a "21st-century Leonard Bernstein."
Leading Jazz at Lincoln Center
In 1987, Wynton Marsalis helped create a summer concert series. It was called Classical Jazz and took place at Lincoln Center in New York City. This series became very popular. Because of its success, Jazz at Lincoln Center grew into its own organization in 1996. It joined other famous groups like the New York Philharmonic.
Marsalis became the artistic director of this new center. He also became the musical director for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. This orchestra performs at its own hall, Rose Hall. They also travel on tours, visit schools, and appear on TV and radio. They even release their own albums.
In 2011, Wynton Marsalis played a concert with rock guitarist Eric Clapton. This special performance was recorded. It was later released as an album called Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center.
In January 2026, Marsalis shared news about his future at the center. He announced his plan to step down as artistic director in July 2027. After that, he will serve as an advisor until June 2028. He explained that it was time to find new leaders. He wants to ensure jazz music and the organization keep growing. He will still perform with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra sometimes.
Sharing Music and Knowledge
Wynton Marsalis loves to teach and share music. In 1995, he hosted a TV show called Marsalis on Music. He also had a radio series called Making the Music. Both programs helped people learn about music. They even won a top award for journalism, the George Foster Peabody Award.
In 2005, Marsalis performed at a special event for Apple. He later appeared in an iPod TV commercial in 2006. His song "Sparks" was featured in the ad.
He has also worked as a cultural correspondent for CBS This Morning. He helps guide the Juilliard Jazz Studies program. Cornell University named him a special professor in 2015.
Wynton Marsalis helped create music for the 2019 film Bolden. He wrote, arranged, and performed parts of the soundtrack.
Beyond jazz, he composes classical music too. He has worked with the Philadelphia Orchestra. They performed his Violin Concerto in 2015 and his Tuba Concerto in 2021.
In December 2023, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra announced a plan to record Marsalis's Blues Symphony. This album was released in March 2025.
Different Ideas About Jazz
Wynton Marsalis is known for his love of straight-ahead jazz. This style uses traditional jazz instruments. It focuses on blues, swing beats, and classic jazz sounds. Marsalis believes in mastering the history of jazz, from its beginnings in New Orleans.
Some musicians have different ideas about jazz. They explore new sounds or mix jazz with other music styles. Marsalis has sometimes expressed his views on these different directions. He believes in keeping the core traditions of jazz alive.
Marsalis has said that it's important to be able to share your opinions. He believes that discussing music helps it grow.
Personal Life
Wynton Marsalis comes from a very musical family. His father, Ellis Marsalis Jr., was a famous jazz pianist. His grandfather was Ellis Marsalis Sr.. Wynton's brothers, Branford Marsalis (saxophonist), Delfeayo Marsalis (trombonist), and Jason Marsalis (drummer), are all jazz musicians too.
Wynton has five children. His son, Jasper Armstrong Marsalis, is a music producer known as Slauson Malone 1. His daughter, Oni Marsalis, has performed as a singer with her father. Wynton is married to Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti. They have a daughter named Elise Marsalis.
Marsalis was raised in the Catholic faith.
Awards and Honors
In 1983, when he was only 22, Wynton Marsalis made history. He became the only musician to win Grammy Awards in both jazz and classical music in the same year. He repeated this amazing feat the very next year!
After his first album came out in 1982, Marsalis quickly gained recognition. He won awards from DownBeat magazine for Musician of the Year and Best Trumpeter. In 2017, he was inducted into the DownBeat Hall of Fame.
In 1997, he became the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. This was for his special musical work, Blood on the Fields. Many people praised this achievement.
Wynton Marsalis has received many other important awards. These include the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal. He was also named an NEA Jazz Master. In 2001, he became a UN Messenger of Peace.
His recordings have sold about seven million copies worldwide. He has performed in 30 countries on almost every continent.
He has also received the Louis Armstrong Memorial Medal. The American Arts Council gave him the Arts Education Award. He won the Dutch Edison Award and the French Grand Prix du Disque. The city of Marciac, France, even put up a bronze statue in his honor. The French Ministry of Culture has given him high honors, including the Legion of Honour in 2008. In 2023, he won the Praemium Imperiale.
Marsalis has received many honorary degrees from universities. These include Harvard, Princeton, and the Juilliard School.
Grammy Awards
Here are some of the Grammy Awards Wynton Marsalis has won:
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
- Think of One (1983)
- Hot House Flowers (1984)
- Black Codes (From the Underground) (1985)
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
- Black Codes (From the Underground) (1985)
- J Mood (1986)
- Marsalis Standard Time, Vol. I (1987)
Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra)
- Raymond Leppard (conductor), Wynton Marsalis and the National Philharmonic Orchestra for Haydn, Hummel, L. Mozart: Trumpet Concertos (1983)
- Raymond Leppard (conductor), Wynton Marsalis and the English Chamber Orchestra for Wynton Marsalis, Edita Gruberova: Handel, Purcell, Torelli, Fasch, Molter (1984)
Best Spoken Word Album for Children
- Listen to the Storytellers (2000)
Discography
Published Works
- Sweet Swing Blues on the Road with Frank Stewart (1994)
- Marsalis on Music (1995)
- Jazz in the Bittersweet Blues of Life with Carl Vigeland (2002)
- To a Young Jazz Musician: Letters from the Road with Selwyn Seyfu Hinds (2004)
- Jazz ABZ: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits with Paul Rogers (2007)
- Moving to Higher Ground: How Jazz Can Change Your Life with Geoffrey Ward (2008)
- Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!: A Sonic Adventure with Paul Rogers (2012)
See also
In Spanish: Wynton Marsalis para niños
