Branford Marsalis Biography
As one of the more visible members of one of jazz’s most prominent musical families, saxophonist/composer Branford Marsalis has distinguished himself since the 1980s as one of contemporary jazz’s most accomplished and ambitious recording artists. The oldest of the four musical sons of noted New Orleans pianist Ellis Marsalis, Branford is deeply rooted in jazz tradition yet firmly committed to carrying those traditions forward. His talent and versatility on tenor, soprano and baritone saxes is matched by his brilliance as a composer.
Marsalis worked with many of jazz’s greatest musicians while launching his career at the beginning of the 1980s. After studying at Southern University and the Berklee School of Music, he toured Europe with Art Blakey’s big band, and subsequently joined Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and served a stint with Clark Terry. Between 1982 and 1985, Branford played tenor and soprano while with his brother Wynton’s influential group. He also toured with Herbie Hancock’s V.S.O.P. II in 1983 and played on Miles Davis’s 1984 album Decoy and played in one of Davis’ last touring bands. In 1985, he left Wynton to join Sting’s band, but quickly returned to the jazz world, launching his own quartet in 1986 with pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.
While working with his brother and on a variety of other projects, Branford signed with Columbia Records and began releasing his own albums in 1983, building a large and accomplished body of work for the label. Marsalis’ mainstream visibility rose when in 1992, when he debuted on The Tonight Show as musical director. But after two years, he tired of his new showbiz profile and left the show to focus on his musical career. While continuing to create new, jazz-based projects and exploring classical music, Marsalis also made a series of guest appearances with the Grateful Dead and Bruce Hornsby. In 2002, Marsalis formed the independent Marsalis Music, which releases his typically ambitious projects as well as those of other artists.
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