By: Jaclyn Breeze — Wynton Marsalis is a trumpeter, bandleader, and composer born in 1961 in New Orleans to a family of musicians. He began trumpet at 6 years old and was playing in his church band at 8. He studied classical trumpet and was playing with the New Orleans Philharmonic by the time he was 14, and from there he had concerts almost every night with many different bands and styles of music. He enrolled in Juilliard after high school, which brought him to New York City. A year into school, he signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers for a world tour.
He became a world-rounded performer, educator, and trumpeter, winning many visionary awards, keys to cities, recognition for Trumpeter and Composer of the Year from many organizations, ASCAP Awards, a Pulitzer Prize (the first jazz musician to be awarded!), 9 Grammy awards, honorary degrees from 12 schools, and was named a UN Messenger of Peace, among many other awards.
He is currently serving as the Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Director of Jazz Studies at Julliard, and as the President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. He has released 127 albums since he was signed in 1982 and regularly performs. In August 2024, he recorded a special for PBS at Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, NY that will air in early 2025.
Listen to some of his work here:
HERE is a map of everywhere Wynton has played since 1983!
How many times has he played in Rochester?
Are there other cities where he has played the same number of times?