Ellis Louis Marsalis Jr. was an influential American jazz pianist and educator, born on November 14, 1934, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He passed away on April 1, 2020, in his hometown. Marsalis was known for his contributions to jazz music and education, having been active from 1949 until his death in 2020. He played a pivotal role in the jazz revival in New Orleans during the late 1950s and 1960s and was a significant figure in modern jazz education.

Marsalis began his musical journey playing the clarinet at age 11 and later switched to tenor saxophone during high school, performing with a rhythm and blues band. He eventually settled on the piano as his primary instrument after being inspired by Nat Perrilliat's saxophone performance. Marsalis served in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he continued to play piano, and later earned a degree in music education from Dillard University in 1955. He furthered his education with a master's degree from Loyola University New Orleans.

Throughout his career, Marsalis recorded nearly twenty albums and collaborated with notable musicians like David "Fathead" Newman and Eddie Harris. He was a dedicated educator, teaching at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the University of New Orleans, and Xavier University of Louisiana. His teaching philosophy emphasized learning from history while encouraging personal musical discoveries.

Marsalis was the patriarch of the Marsalis musical family, with four of his sons—Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo, and Jason—becoming accomplished jazz musicians. He received numerous accolades, including an honorary doctorate from Tulane University in 2007 and induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2018. The Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans is named in his honor, reflecting his lasting impact on jazz music and education.