Ellis Marsalis, Jr.

Infobox musical artist
Name = Ellis Marsalis, Jr.

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Img_capt = Ellis Marsalis, Jr. performing on June 6, 2004.
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Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1934|11|14
Died =
Origin = New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Instrument = Piano
Voice_type =
Genre = Jazz
Occupation = Musician, Teacher.
Years_active = 1949–Present
Label = Blue Note, Columbia, Sony, Rounder
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.ellismarsalis.com/ Official website]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Ellis Marsalis (born November 14, 1934, New Orleans, LA) is an American musician. He is considered one of the premier pianists in modern jazz. He can usually be seen performing on Fridays at Snug Harbor jazz bistro in New Orleans.

Biography

Ellis Marsalis is the son of the late Ellis Marsalis, Sr., a businessman and social activist, and Florence Robertson [ [http://www.wargs.com/other/marsalis.html Ancestry of Wynton Marsalis ] ] Ellis and wife Delores Ferdinand have 6 sons: Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis III (1964), Delfeayo Marsalis, Mboya Kinyatta Marsalis (1971), and Jason Marsalis. Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo, and Jason are also jazz musicians. Ellis is a poet, photographer, & network engineer based in Baltimore. Mboya has autism.

Ellis started out as a tenor saxophonist, switching to piano while in high school. From his first professional performance with "The Groovy Boys" over fifty years ago, Ellis Marsalis has been a major influence in jazz. At that time, Marsalis was one of the few New Orleans musicians who did not specialize in Dixieland or rhythm and blues. He played with fellow modernists including Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley, and Al Hirt, becoming one of the most respected pianists in jazz. Though he has recorded almost twenty of his own albums, and was featured on many discs with such jazz greats as David “Fathead” Newman, Eddie Harris, Marcus Roberts, and Courtney Pine, he shunned the spotlight to focus on teaching. Marsalis' didactic approach, combined with an interest in philosophy, encourages his students to make discoveries in music on their own, through experiment and very careful listening.

As a leading educator at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the University of New Orleans, and Xavier University of Louisiana, Ellis has influenced the careers of countless musicians, including Terence Blanchard, Harry Connick Jr.,Nicholas Payton; as well as his four musician sons: Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo and Jason. In May, 2007, Marsalis was presented with an honorary doctorate from Tulane University for his contributions to jazz and musical education.

The "Ellis Marsalis Center for Music" at Musicians' Village in New Orleans is named in honor of Ellis Marsalis.

Partial discography

*1990 "Standard Time, Vol.3: The Resolution Of Romance" - Wynton Marsalis (vocals, trumpet); Ellis Marsalis (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Herlin Riley (drums)
*1991 "Ellis Marsalis Trio" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Robert Hurst (bass), Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums)
*1991 "Piano in E - Solo Piano" - Ellis Marsalis (solo piano)
*1991 "The Classic/Ellis Marsalis" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), James Black (drums), Nathaniel Perrilliat (saxophone), Marshall Smith (bass) - (Original Release Date: 1963)
*1992 "Heart Of Gold" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Ray Brown (bass), Billy Higgins (drums)
*1994 "Whistle Stop" - Ellis Marsalis (piano); Branford Marsalis (tenor & soprano saxophones); Robert Hurst (acoustic bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts, Jason Marsalis (drums)
*1995 "Joe Cool's Blues" - Wynton Marsalis Septet: Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Wessell Anderson (alto & soprano saxophones); Victor Gaines (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Wycliffe Gordon (trombone); Eric Reed (piano); Benjamin Wolfe (acoustic bass); Herlin Riley (drums). Ellis Marsalis Trio: Ellis Marsalis (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Martin Butler (drums). Additional personnel: Germaine Bazzle (vocals); Branford Marsalis (tenor saxophone); Tom Peterson (baritone saxophone); Chuck Findley (trumpet); Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone).
*1995 "A Night At Snug Harbor, New Orleans" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Bill Huntington (bass), David Lee Jr. (drums), Tony Dagradi (tenor, soprano sax), Rick Margitza (tenor sax), Art Blakey (drums), Donald Harrison (tenor sax), Nicholas Payton (trumpet)
*1996 "Loved Ones" [http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/EllisAndBranford/] - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Branford Marsalis (saxophone)
*1997 "Syndrome" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Bill Huntington (acoustic bass), James Black (drums), Guest Artist: Kent Jordan
*1998 "Twelve's It" - Ellis Marsalis (piano); Roland Guerin, Bill Huntington (bass); Jason Marsalis (drums)
*1999 "Duke In Blue" - Ellis Marsalis (solo piano)
*1999 "Solo Piano Reflections" - Ellis Marsalis (solo piano) - (Original Release Date: 1978)
*2001 "UAB SuperJazz, featuring Ellis Marsalis" - Ellis Marsalis, piano, with the [http://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=SuperJazz_Big_Band SuperJazz Big Band] (formerly "UAB SuperJazz") - Recorded live at the Alys Stephens Center and produced by UAB music faculty members Ray Reach and Henry Panion.
*2002 "Jazz At Christmas In New Orleans" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Bill Huntington (bass violin), Jason Marsalis (drum set & percussion, vibraphone), Cynthia Liggins Thomas (vocal)
*2002 "Marsalis Family - A Jazz Celebration" [http://publicity.rounder.com/artistpages/marsalis_family.html] - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Branford Marsalis (saxophones), Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone), Jason Marsalis (drums), Roland Guerin (bass). Special Guests: Harry Connick, Jr. (piano), Lucien Barbarin (trombone)
*2003 "The GIG" - LIVE At Snug Harbor" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Bill Huntigton (bass), Jason Marsalis (drums)
*2003 "Afternoon Session" August 17th 1968 Sparks Nevada - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Jim Haden (bass), Lee Charlton (drums), John Peirce (alto sax), Chuck Foster (trumpet)
*2004 "On The First Occasion" - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Bill Huntington (bass), Jason Marsalis (drums
*2005 "An Evening With The Ellis Marsalis Quartet - Set 1" - Recorded LIVE at Snug Harbor - Ellis Marsalis (piano), Derek Douget (tenor/soprano saxophones), Bill Huntington (bass), Jason Marsalis (drums)
*2005 "Ruminations in New York" - Ellis Marsalis (solo piano)
*2006 "Standard Time, Vol.3: It's My Life" - Penny Munn (vocals, Digerydoo); Charlie Shire (Vocals, Triangle)

With Irvin Mayfield

References

External links

* [http://www.ellismarsalis.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/marsalis_e.html NPR's Jazz Profiles: Ellis Marsalis]
* [http://www.singingfool.com/musicvideo.asp?publishedId=410432 Ellis Marsalis with Harry Connick Jr, performing "Stardust"] , music video at [http://www.singingfool.com singingfool.com]