Winton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis (born 1961 in New Orleans) is an American trumpeter, composer and bandleader known for performing both jazz and classical music. Son of pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr., he played with Art Blakey, has won multiple Grammy Awards and received the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Music for Blood on the Fields. He has been artistic director at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

From the DeBaser review: born in New Orleans in the early '60s to a pianist father; influenced by Art Blakey; compared to Miles Davis in early instrumental style; later work shows Ellington-like compositional leanings. The Majesty Of The Blues (1988) is described as moving away from hard bop toward diverse influences and includes the suite "The Death of The Jazz" with dramatic, sometimes dissonant solos.

The single DeBaser review praises Wynton Marsalis's technical mastery and wide-ranging influences, notably Art Blakey, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. The 1988 album The Majesty Of The Blues is presented as a departure from hard bop toward a more eclectic, sometimes avant-garde approach. The reviewer highlights compositional ambition (the suite "The Death of The Jazz") and dramatic, occasionally dissonant solos.

For:Jazz listeners, music students, critics and fans of Wynton Marsalis