Wynton Marsalis
Wynton Learson Marsalis, born on October 18, 1961, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is a renowned American trumpeter, composer, and music educator. He is the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and has been influential in promoting both classical and jazz music. Marsalis, who comes from a musical family, received his first trumpet at the age of six, a gift from trumpeter Al Hirt. He began his formal classical training at 12 and was performing with the New Orleans Philharmonic by 14.
Marsalis moved to New York City in 1979 to attend the Juilliard School but left in 1981 to join Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. His work with Blakey and subsequent performances with Herbie Hancock marked his transition to a career in jazz. In 1982, he formed a quintet with his brother Branford Marsalis, which contributed to the "Young Lions" movement in jazz, reviving interest in the genre.
Marsalis is the only musician to have won Grammy Awards in both jazz and classical categories in the same year, an achievement he repeated in 1984. He has won nine Grammy Awards and was the first jazz artist to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Music for his oratorio "Blood on the Fields." His efforts have led to a jazz renaissance, and he has recorded over 60 albums.
In addition to his musical achievements, Marsalis is an advocate for music education and has received numerous honorary degrees. He was appointed a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations in 2001 and has been a cultural ambassador for the United States. Marsalis received the National Medal of Arts in 2005 and the National Humanities Medal in 2015. He married Nicola Benedetti in 2024.
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