Branford Marsalis

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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.

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. 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.

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.

Other appearances

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Guest on the "Not my Job" section of the show. On this performance he claimed the saxophone was the sexiest instrument, then insults the accordion. In a later episode of the show, Weird Al Yankovic stands up for the accordion; later guest Yo-Yo Ma claimed the saxophone was in fact the sexiest.
Marsalis was featured in Shanice's 1992 hit "I Love Your Smile". In the second half of the song, he has a solo and Shanice says "Blow, Branford, Blow."
He played the role of Lester in the movie Throw Momma from the Train (1987) and the role of Jordam in Spike Lee's 1988 musical-drama film School Daze.
Cameo as a repair man who asks Hillary on a date in the episode "Stop Will! In the Name of Love" on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (1994).
Interviews with Marsalis are featured prominently in the documentary Before the Music Dies (2006).

Discography

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:

2007 Marsalis Music Honors Series: Bob French (2007) - Bob French
2006 Intersections (1985-2005) - Bruce Hornsby
2005 Occasion : Connick on Piano, Volume 2 - A duo album with Harry Connick, Jr.
2003 The Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration - A showing for four brothers- Branford, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and their father, Ellis Marsalis
1999 Brand New Day - Sting
1996 Mercury Falling - Sting
1995 Joe Cool's Blues - Ellis & Wynton Marsalis. Branford plays on the track "Little Birdie"
1995 Hot House - Bruce Hornsby
1994 "With the Tenors of Our Time" - Roy Hargrove. On track 3, "Valse Hot."
1994 Rob Wasserman: Trios With Bruce Hornsby on "White-Wheeled Limousine"
1994 JLW - Joe Louis Walker. On track 4 Inner City Man.
1993 Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 - Guru. Features on track four, "Transit Ride" along with Zachary Breaux.
1993 Harbor Lights - Bruce Hornsby Grammy Winner for song, "Rainbow's Cadillac"
1992 "Pontius Pilate's Decision" - Delfeayo Marsalis
1991 Karma - Robin Eubanks. On track 7 The Yearning and track 10 Remember When
1990 Live It Up - Crosby, Stills & Nash. Branford plays on tracks 5 Yours And Mine and on track 9 Arrows
1990 You Won't Forget Me - Shirley Horn. Branford appears on the track "It Had to be You"
1990 Without a Net - Grateful Dead. Branford plays on "Eyes of the World" (live album)
1990 Black Codes (From the Underground) - Wynton Marsalis
1990 We Are In Love - Harry Connick, Jr.
1987 Nothing Like the Sun - Sting
1986 Bring on the Night - Sting (live album)
1986 Break Every Rule - Tina Turner. Branford plays on the track "Paradise Is Here"
1985 Dream of the Blue Turtles - Sting

Album reviews

External links

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