Musical beginnings: 1980–1985 While in high school, Marsalis played in a R&B cover band called The Creators. Marsalis then attended
Southern University, a
historically black college in
Baton Rouge, where he studied under renowned jazz clarinetist
Alvin Batiste. At the encouragement of Batiste, Marsalis later transferred to
Berklee College of Music in
Boston. While a student at Berklee, Marsalis toured Europe playing alto and tenor saxophone in a large ensemble led by drummer
Art Blakey. The album, meant to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in African American society, was named Album of the Year by
Time. In 1995, Marsalis left
The Tonight Show, having become unhappy in the role: he disliked that he was supposed to always show enthusiasm, even for jokes he thought were unfunny. He was succeeded as bandleader by guitarist
Kevin Eubanks. In a well-publicized interview soon after leaving, Marsalis said, "The job of musical director I found out later was just to kiss the ass of the host, and I ain't no ass kisser." He also complained that when he did not laugh or smile, some viewers' perception was, "Oh, he’s surly. He hates his boss." When the interviewer asked if Marsalis did hate Leno, Marsalis responded, "Oh, I despised him." He later stated that he did not hate Leno, and that this was a sarcastic response to what he considered "a ridiculous question".
Transition: 1995–2007 In 1997, bassist
Eric Revis replaced Hurst in the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Kirkland died the following year, and was replaced by pianist
Joey Calderazzo. The Branford Marsalis Quartet has since toured and recorded extensively. For two decades Marsalis was associated with
Columbia, where he served as
creative consultant and producer for jazz recordings between 1997 and 2001, including signing saxophonist
David S. Ware for two albums. In 2002, Marsalis founded his own label,
Marsalis Music. Its catalogue includes
Claudia Acuña,
Harry Connick Jr.,
Doug Wamble,
Miguel Zenón, in addition to albums by members of the Marsalis family. Marsalis has also become involved in college education, with appointments at
Michigan State University (1996–2000),
San Francisco State University (2000–2002), and
North Carolina Central University (2005–present). After
Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr., working with the local
Habitat for Humanity, created
Musicians Village in New Orleans, with the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music the centerpiece.
Classical and Broadway projects: 2008–2010 Under the direction of conductor Gil Jardim, Branford Marsalis and members of the Philharmonia Brasileira toured the United States in the fall of 2008, performing works by Brazilian composer
Heitor Villa-Lobos, arranged for solo saxophone and orchestra. This project commemorated the 50th Anniversary of the revered Brazilian composer s death. Marsalis and the members of his quartet joined the
North Carolina Symphony for
American Spectrum, released in February 2009 by Sweden's
BIS Records. The album showcases Marsalis and the orchestra performing a range of American music by
Michael Daugherty,
John Williams,
Ned Rorem and
Christopher Rouse, while being conducted by
Grant Llewellyn. In 2009
Tain left the Branford Marsalis Quartet and was replaced by
Justin Faulkner. Marsalis wrote the music for the
2010 Broadway revival of the
August Wilson play
Fences. On July 14, 2010, Marsalis made his debut with the
New York Philharmonic on Central Park's Great Lawn. Led by conductor
Andrey Boreyko, Marsalis and the
New York Philharmonic performed
Glazunov's "Concerto for Alto Saxophone" and
Schuloff's "Hot-Sonate for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra". Boreyko, Marsalis and the
Philharmonic performed the same program again in Vail, CO later that month and four more times at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, NY, the following February.
2011–present , Poland, at the Lotos Jazz Festival, 2019 In June 2011, after working together for over ten years in a band setting, Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo released their first duo album titled
Songs of Mirth and Melancholy, on Branford's label,
Marsalis Music. Their first public performance was at the 2011 TD
Toronto Jazz Festival. In 2012, Branford Marsalis released ''Four MFs Playin' Tunes'' on deluxe 180-gram high definition vinyl, prior to
Record Store Day 2012 on April 21 that year. This is the first recording of the Branford Marsalis Quartet with drummer Justin Faulkner, who joined the band in 2009, and was the first vinyl release from Marsalis Music. The album was named
Apple iTunes Best of 2012 Instrumental Jazz Album of the Year. Marsalis performed "
The Star-Spangled Banner" on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, at the
Democratic National Convention in
Charlotte. In 2019, Marsalis released
The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul, which he recorded in Australia with his quartet. Marsalis, commenting on the longevity of his band and their approach said, ahead of the album's release: '“Staying together allows us to play adventurous, sophisticated music and sound good. Lack of familiarity leads to defensive playing, playing not to make a mistake. I like playing sophisticated music, and I couldn’t create this music with people I don’t know.” For the 2026
Grammy Awards, he received a nomination for the album
Belonging in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category. == Personal life ==