Photo: feinsteinphotos / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Wynton Marsalis is, to me, the conscience of modern jazz. Born in New Orleans, he commands both the classical and jazz traditions with rare authority, and his nine Grammys plus that landmark 1997 Pulitzer for Blood on the Fields put him in a class of his own. But what moves me most is the mission behind the music: as artistic director at Jazz at Lincoln Center, he treats the form as living heritage to be taught and passed on. Plenty of trumpeters can dazzle technically; few shoulder a whole culture and carry it forward. His tone stays clean, warm and unmistakably honest.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Wynton Marsalis
- Name (Japanese)
- ウィントン・マルサリス
- Reading
- うぃんとん・まるさりす
- Born
- October 18, 1961 (age 64)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Ox
- Origin
- New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / jazz trumpeter / bandleader / conductor / classical trumpeter
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Benjamin Franklin High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- James Parks Morton Interfaith Award
- 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Music
- 2017 Order of Friendship
- 2015 National Humanities Medal
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 2009 honorary doctor of Harvard University
- 1994 honorary doctor of the University of Miami
- NEA Jazz Masters
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Wynton Marsalis born?
Born October 18, 1961 (age 64).
Where is Wynton Marsalis from?
Wynton Marsalis is from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
What does Wynton Marsalis do?
Wynton Marsalis works as composer, jazz trumpeter, bandleader, conductor, classical trumpeter.
Composer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.