Branford Marsalis

Branford Marsalis Headshot

Saxophonist • Composer • Bandleader • Actor

Birth Date: August 26, 1960

Age: 63 years old

Birth Place: New Orleans, Louisiana

The son of a jazz singer and a music professor born into a family of noted jazz musicians, Branford Marsalis grew up always around instruments, leading him to the Berklee College of Music in his late teens. Before he was done with school, he started touring with Art Blakey playing saxophone. That experience led to more work in the early 1980s with a legion of acclaimed jazz musicians including Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie. In this time, he put out his first solo album, Scenes in the City, and was a part of a variety of other projects, with his high-profile work on Sting's debut solo album The Dream of the Blue Turtles making him nearly as well-known as his elder brother Wynton Marsalis. 1986 saw Marsalis' first Grammy nomination for his third album Royal Garden Blues. In 1990, Marsalis played live with the Grateful Dead in what became a legendary improvised performance. He was the bandleader for the first three years of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC 1992-2014) before ceding the bandleader chair to guitarist Kevin Eubanks; the same year, he won his first Grammy award for I Heard You Twice the First Time. For a few years, he headed up the band Buckshot LeFonque, which combined jazz and rock for a unique sound. However, by the late '90s, Marsalis focused more on classically inspired works, eschewing rock accents for large symphonic orchestras. He was a regular nominee at the Grammys, earning two more wins over a span of two decades. In 2010, his work on the music for the revival of the play Fences earned him a Tony nomination.

Credits

Deep Purple, Cory Wong, Brandford Marsalis

Actor
Show
2023

RustinStream

Original Music
Movie
2023
84%

United We Sing: A Grammy Tribute to the Unsung Heroes

Music Performer
Show
2020

Ma Rainey's Black BottomStream

Original Music
Movie
2020
97%

Branford Marsalis e Banda

Music Performer
Show
2018

Branford Marsalis: The Sound Illusionist

Self
Movie
2016

Sunshine by the Stars: Celebrating Louisiana Music

Music Performer
Show
2012

Finding Your RootsStream

Guest
Reality
2012

Q With Jian Ghomeshi

Guest
Show
2011

Angelique Kidjo and Friends: Spirit Rising

Music Performer
Show
2011

Brooklyn Boheme

Actor
Movie
2011

Keeping Time: The Life, Music & Photographs of Milt Hinton

Actor
Movie
2003

Once in the Life

Original Music
Movie
2000

Goosed

Original Song
Movie
1999

Space Ghost Coast to CoastStream

Guest
Series
1994

The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

Mo' Better BluesStream

Actor
Party Guest
Movie
1990
71%

School DazeStream

Actor
Jordam
Movie
1988
59%

Throw Momma from the TrainStream

Actor
Lester
Movie
1987
64%

Bring on the Night

Actor
Movie
1985

Bring on the Night

Actor
Movie
1985

Canada AM

Music Performer
Show
1972

Sesame StreetStream

Guest
Series
1969

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonStream

Guest
Talk
1962