Branford Marsalis

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Branford Marsalis
Photo by Tom Beetz
Photo by Tom Beetz
Background information
Birth name Branford Marsalis
Born August 26, 1960 (1960-08-26) (age 47)
Origin Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, U.S.
Genre(s) Jazz
Post-bop
Instrument(s) Saxophones
Associated acts Wynton Marsalis
Delfeayo Marsalis
Terence Blanchard
Jason Marsalis
Ellis Marsalis
Joey Calderazzo
Jeff "Tain" Watts
Kenny Kirkland
Notable instrument(s)
Cannonball Big Bell Stone Series Raven (A5B-Ice B) Alto[1]

Branford Marsalis (August 26, 1960, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) is an American jazz and classical saxophonist.

He is the oldest of the six Marsalis brothers, sons of Delores Ferdinand Marsalis and pianist Ellis Marsalis, Jr.: Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis III, Delfeayo Marsalis, Mboya Kinyatta, and Jason Marsalis. Wynton, Delfeayo, and Jason are also jazz musicians. Ellis is a poet, photographer, and network engineer based in Baltimore.

Branford is most prominently known in jazz as a tenor and soprano saxophonist.

Contents

[edit] Career beginnings

He began his professional career in the early 1980s playing with Art Blakey's big band, Clark Terry, and Blakey's Jazz Messengers. From 1982 to 1985 he played with his brother Wynton's group, then left to play in Sting's backup band. In 1985, he appeared at Live Aid as Sting's only accompaniment (later joined by Phil Collins). In 1986 he set up his own group. From 1992 to 1995 he was musical director of the Tonight Show Band. He then set up the Buckshot LeFonque project which intended to combine jazz with rhythm and blues, hip hop, and rock. Throughout the early 1990s, Branford had a series of guest appearances with the Grateful Dead, which are among the most popular performances in that band's history.[citation needed] He also collaborated with Bruce Hornsby, who played piano with The Dead during the early 1990s, on several of Hornsby's solo albums. Marsalis and Hornsby won a Grammy in 1993 for Best Pop Instrumental for their composition "Barcelona Mona" (created for the Barcelona Olympics). He also toured with Miles Davis in one of Davis' last bands.

He is the creator of the record company Marsalis Music and the founder of the Branford Marsalis Quartet. He recently played the national anthem at the 2008 NBA All-Star Game in New Orleans.

[edit] Setup

Branford is now an endorsee of saxophones from Cannonball Musical Instruments of Salt Lake City, Utah and plays a Cannonball model A5B-ICE-B Big Bell Stone Series "Raven" alto. He plays a custom .114 8* Dave Guardala mouthpiece for his tenor and a Branford Marsalis Custom Guardala model for his Soprano.

[edit] Musicians' Village

Main article: Musicians' Village

After Hurricane Katrina, Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis came up with an initiative to help restore New Orleans's musical heritage. Habitat for Humanity and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, working with Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis announced December 6, 2005, plans for a Musicians' Village in New Orleans. The Musicians' Village will include Habitat-constructed homes, with a Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, as the area's centerpiece. The Habitat-built homes will provide musicians of modest means the opportunity to buy decent, affordable housing.

[edit] Other appearances

[edit] Gallery

Branford Marsalis, Workshop in Brockport, New York. 1977 or 1978

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • 2006 Braggtown
  • 2004 A Love Supreme Live - (DVD/CD)
  • 2004 Eternal
  • 2003 Romare Bearden Revealed - CD Issued in Conjunction with The Art of Romare Bearden (American painter)
  • 2002 Footsteps of our Fathers - Branford again revisits the works of past masters, interpreting the tunes from his own angle
  • 2001 Creation - some classical music rearranged for saxophone and orchestra
  • 2000 Contemporary Jazz - Grammy Winner in category Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
  • 1999 Requiem - recorded days before the death of and dedicated to pianist Kenny Kirkland
  • 1997 Music Evolution - the second Buckshot LeFonque project
  • 1996 The Dark Keys
  • 1996 Loved Ones - a duet with his father Ellis Marsalis (piano)
  • 1994 Buckshot LeFonque
  • 1993 Bloomington - live recording
  • 1992 Sneakers - soundtrack to the movie
  • 1992 I Heard You Twice The First Time - Branford's quartet pairs up with some Jazz and Blues greats (including B.B.King, John Lee Hooker, Rip Tip Johnson) for a romp through the history of African-American music. Grammy Winner in category Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Individual Or Group
  • 1991 The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born - with guests Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) and Courtney Pine (tenor saxophone)
  • 1990 Crazy People Music
  • 1990 Mo' Better Blues - soundtrack to the movie
  • 1989 Do The Right Thing - music composed and conducted by Bill Lee
  • 1989 Trio Jeepy - an album of standards featuring Milt Hinton (bass) and Jeff Watts (drums)
  • 1988 Random Abstract
  • 1987 Renaissance - on "The Peacocks": Herbie Hancock – Piano, Buster Williams - Bass
  • 1986 Romances for Saxophone - some little pieces of classical evergreens
  • 1985 Royal Garden Blues
  • 1984 Scenes In The City

Branford also appears as a sideman on:

[edit] Album reviews

[edit] External links