Jazz legend Ellis Marsalis Jr. dies at 85

Ellis Marsalis performs during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, in New Orleans, in an April 28, 2019, file photo.Ellis Marsalis Jr., the jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan, died late Wednesday after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus, leaving six sons and a deep legacy. He was 85.

In a statement, Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the man who continued to perform regularly until December: “Ellis Marsalis was a legend. He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz. He was a teacher, a father, and an icon – and words aren’t sufficient to describe the art, the joy and the wonder he showed the world.”

Marsalis was born in New Orleans, son of the operator of a hotel where he met touring black musicians who couldn’t stay at the segregated downtown hotels where they performed. He played saxophone in high school; he also played piano by the time he went to Dillard University. Returning home, he worked at the Playboy Club and ventured into running his own club, which went bust. In 1967 trumpeter Al Hirt hired him. When not on Bourbon Street, Hirt’s band appeared on national TV – headline shows on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, among others.

His melodic style, with running improvisations in the right hand, has been described variously as romantic, contemporary, or simply “Louisiana jazz.” He was always on acoustic piano, never electric, and even in interpreting old standards there’s a clear link to the driving bebop chords and rhythms of his early years.

Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Jazz great Ellis Marsalis Jr. dead at 85 after battling COVID-19: sonEllis Marsalis Jr., the jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan, died late Wednesday after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus, leaving six sons and a deep legacy. He was 85.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Legendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney dies of coronavirus complicationsLegendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney has died of complications from the novel coronavirus, his publicist said. He was 59.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Jazz pianist Wray Downes was known for his expressive right handHe won his first competition as a 9-year-old prodigy and had the potential to become a concert pianist, but Oscar Peterson led him on a different path GlobeArts Great tribute nicojennings GlobeArts Me too
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »

Jazz great Ellis Marsalis Jr. dead at 85 after battling COVID-19: sonEllis Marsalis Jr., the jazz pianist, teacher and patriarch of a New Orleans musical clan, died late Wednesday after battling pneumonia brought on by the new coronavirus, leaving six sons and a deep legacy. He was 85.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

Legendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney dies of coronavirus complicationsLegendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney has died of complications from the novel coronavirus, his publicist said. He was 59.
Source: CTVNews - 🏆 1. / 99 Read more »

1993 Jays use small-ball dramatics to complete sweep of ’85 JaysIn place of on-field baseball action, The Globe brings you a computer-simulated tournament involving four of the greatest Canadian teams, using the statistics-based software Strat-O-Matic
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »