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'Branford Marsalis' (August 26, 1960, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) is an American jazz and classical saxophonist. He was born the oldest of six sons to Delores Ferdinand Marsalis and famed pianist Ellis Marsalis, Jr..
He is the oldest of the six Marsalis brothers: 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, & network engineer based in Baltimore.
Branford is most prominently known in jazz as a tenor and soprano saxophonist and a most talented brilliant musical innovator among his brothers. Branford is a Life Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

Contents

Career Beginnings

Musicians' Village

Other Appearances

Discography

Albums

Album Reviews

External links

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.

Musicians' Village

Main articles: 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 as Lester in the movie ''Throw Momma from the Train'' (1987).

★ 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'' - that's what it is. '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, this album is undeniably one of the Branford Marsalis Quartet's greatest and most immediate works

★ 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 (magnificent atmosphere)

★ 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 Beautiful 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 '' - 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 ''Rob Wasserman: Trios'' With Bruce Hornsby on "White-Wheeled Limousine"

★ 1994 ''JLW'' - Joe Louis Walker. On track 4 Inner City Man.

★ 1993 ''Harbor Lights'' - Bruce Hornsby ''Grammy Winner'' for song, "Rainbow's Cadillac"

★ 1991 ''Karma'' - Robin Eubanks. On track 7 The Yearning and track 10 Remember When

★ 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

★ Editors Pick @ TracksMusic.com

★ Album and DVD reviews @ The Music Box

★ Eternal review @ JazzPolice.com

External links

★ Branford Marsalis, official website

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