Musician Wynton Marsalis plays his trumpet at the annual Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, R.I. in August 18,1985. Marsalis,24, has received Grammy Awards for best solo jazz performance and best classical soloist in both 1985 and 1984. (AP Photo/William Daby)
On Oct. 18, 1961, Wynton Marsalis, a native of New Orleans, was born. He is regarded as one of the world’s greatest jazz trumpet players and an accomplished classical artist. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards, and in 1984, he became the only artist to win Grammys for both jazz and classical recordings.
Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis hits a note on his trumpet during the taping of “In Performance at the White House” at the White House June 18, 1993. President Bill Clinton and Mrs. Clinton hosted the event, which marks the 40th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival. (AP Photo/Marcy Nighswander)Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis plays during a jazz workshop studio for students hosted by first lady Michelle Obama, not pictured, in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)Wynton Marsalis performs with the Harlem School of the Arts All Stars, during an event with first lady Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to celebrate the 2023 Praemium Imperiale Laureates, a global arts prize awarded annually by the Japan Art Association for lifetime achievement in the arts, in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
He is also one of just two artists to win Grammys for five consecutive years and was the first to have a jazz composition win a Pulitzer Prize. Born into a celebrated musical family, Marsalis is the son of jazz musician Ellis Marsalis and brother to saxophonist Branford Marsalis.
Marsalis is known for his efforts in promoting classical and jazz music, particularly to younger audiences.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
