Jason Marsalis
Jason Marsalis is an American jazz drummer and member of the Marsalis family of musicians. He is the youngest son of Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and the late Ellis Marsalis, Jr.Musical career
Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Dolores and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor. His brothers are Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis III, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Mboya Kinyatta. Branford, Wynton, and Delfeayo are also jazz musicians.
Marsalis studied percussion at Loyola University New Orleans. He worked as a sideman in mainstream jazz, funk, and jazz fusion groups; a Brazilian percussion ensemble ; and a Celtic music group. He introduced percussionist Bill Summers to trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, and they founded Los Hombres Calientes. Marsalis then joined pianist Marcus Roberts. Marsalis has also played with John Ellis, Michael White, Shannon Powell, and the Marsalis family. He and his brothers and their father were named NEA Jazz Masters. He is one of the artists featured in Tradition Is a Temple, a 2013 documentary film about New Orleans.
In 2009, Marsalis released his first album as a leader on vibraphone, entitled Music Update. The album received 4.5 out of 5 stars in DownBeat magazine. Writing in The New York Times, critic Ben Ratliff said that Marsalis was "an excellent musician trying out something risky without embarrassment."Selected discography
As leader
- Jason Marsalis and the 21st Century Trad Band - Melody Reimagined:book 1
- Heirs Of The Crescent City
- Music Update
- The Year of the Drummer
- Music in Motion
As sideman
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- Norbert Susemihl's Joyful Gumbo – Featuring Chloe Feoranzo & Jason Marsalis
- The Marsalis Family – Music Redeems
- Roland Guerin – You Don't Have to See It to Believe It
- Norbert Susemihl – Night on Frenchmen Street
- John Ellis – Roots, Branches & Leaves
- The Marsalis Family – A Jazz Celebration
- The Ellis Marsalis Trio – Twelve's It
- Norbert Susemihl's New Orleans All Stars – Live at Maribo Jazzfestival-Denmark
- David Morgan Trio – Live at the Blue Note
- Los Hombres Calientes – Los Hombres Calientes
- Los Hombres Calientes – Vol. 2
- Marcus Roberts Trio – In Honor of Duke
- Ellis Marsalis' – Whistle Stop, drummer on tracks 4 and 7
- Stephen Riley – El Gaucho
- Neal Caine – Backstabber's Ball
