Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis is an American trumpeter, composer, and music instructor who is artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and leads its orchestra. Born in New Orleans and raised in Kenner, Louisiana, he began playing trumpet at six and studied classical music in school while learning jazz at home from his father, a pianist. He moved to New York City in 1979 for the Juilliard School, then toured Europe with Art Blakey and joined The Jazz Messengers until 1982. After signing with Columbia, he formed his own groups; in 1987 he helped launch the Classical Jazz concert series at Lincoln Center, which grew into Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 1983 he became the only musician to win Grammys in jazz and classical fields in one year, and he has won nine. His 1997 oratorio Blood on the Fields became the first jazz composition awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He hosted the public television program Marsalis on Music.