Legendary pianist Ellis Marsalis, a jazz master, and musical family patriarch, is considered a New Orleans jazz legend. Recognized worldwide as a master pianist and bandleader, Marsalis was among the few musicians to pioneer modern jazz in mid-century New Orleans. The depth of his impact and motivation across the world is immeasurable. The New Orleans music icon is credited with creating jazz education programs in Louisiana where there had been none before. Marsalis had a passion for teaching as well as a passion to learn from his fellow scholars and students. Marsalis once said, “Jazz education is an oxymoron.”
Marsalis was the patriarch of a family that became equally famous. His sons are Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, Jason, Ellis III, and Mboya. In his sons, he instilled a dedication of service and education. Marsalis was born in New Orleans on November 14, 1934. He began formal music lessons at age 11 training classically on the clarinet, saxophone, and piano, all by the time he finished high school. Playing shows at night, he worked at his father’s Marsalis Motel during the day. Motel guests included Ray Charles, Rep. Adam Clayton Powel Jr., Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
A visionary musician, Marsalis earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Dillard University in New Orleans in 1955 and taught at Xavier University Preparatory School until enlisting in the Marine Corps in the late 1950s. Over the years, he mentored those who would become future stars including Terrence Blanchard and Harry Connick Jr. In 2008, Marsalis, who recorded 20 of his own albums, was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. In 2011, the National Endowment for the Arts named Ellis and his sons N.E.A. Jazz Masters. considered the highest honor an American jazz musician can receive.
After six decades of teaching and performing, Marsalis retired. Ellis Marsalis died on April 1, 2020. He was 85. Legends are defined by their work and how it impacts the culture. We remember Ellis Marsalis so others don’t forget.
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