Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis puts his signature touch on a classic genre.

n my 16th birthday, just as I was starting to like jazz, my parents bought me tickets to see jazz legend Wynton Marsalis. Luckily, I had something in common with him: the same birthday.In short, Marsalis ended up playing me the hippest version of “Happy Birthday” I’ve ever heard. On Nov. 8, Marsalis will appear at Kingsbury Hall. Whether or not he’ll perform any special requests remains to be seen.

Marsalis has the ability to play the trumpet like nobody's business. Heavily influenced by Louis Armstrong, Marsalis’ music includes a battle of joy and pain in a swing rhythm.His tone is pure and true and he’s able to play his thoughts directly into his horn, bringing a style that only he can bring.

Along with playing “Happy Birthday” to 16-year-olds on his trumpet, Marsalis keeps himself rather busy.In fact, getting busy is his business. His accolades are proof enough of that—and by accolades, I mean a Peabody Award, a Pulitzer Prize, nine Grammys and a discography that includes more than 30 albums of both jazz and classical music. His is an internationally recognized talent. Marsalis is always perfecting something, whether it is some music for a movie, an opera, a jazz concert, a book on music or education programs.

Marsalis is very much involved in music education. “Marsalis On Music,” his four-part television series released by Sony Classical and aired on PBS, better acquaints young people with the fundamentals of music. His delivery is warm, especially when it comes to encouraging practice, because as we all know, practice makes perfect.

Marsalis also serves as artistic director for the internationally acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center program, which he co-founded in 1987. The “Jazz for Young People” series, a favorite for New York audiences, has been one of the most successful aspects for Lincoln Center. Marsalis values educating people young and old about music so much that throughout the year, he even schedules meetings with students wherever he is. And while on the road with his bands, he regularly conducts master classes in local schools. If this wasn't enough, he has a 26-part series titled “Making the Music” for National Public Radio.

Marsalis was born into jazz royalty. He is a member of a rather influential jazz family including his pianist father, Ellis and brothers: trombonist Delfeayo, drummer Jason and saxophonist Branford (of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” fame).

Marsalis started studying the trumpet seriously at the age of 12. In high school, he began performing in funk bands, jazz bands, marching bands and classical orchestras. At 18, Marsalis moved from New Orleans to New York City to attend the prestigious Julliard School of Music. In 1980, he signed with Columbia Records and has since sold more than five million copies of his albums worldwide.

If you want to know what a trumpet is meant to sound like, Marsalis your man. His sound can be many things: seductive, sober, playful, ostentatious and even sinful. And just so you know, he also plays a mean “Happy Birthday.”

Wynton Marsalis will be performing at Kingsbury Hall on Saturday, Nov. 8. The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and if I were you, I'd buy my ticket in advance from ArtTix.Call 355-ARTS. Be there or be a total square!
hayley@red-mag.com