It is a bit ironic that
Ellis Marsalis had to wait for sons
Wynton and
Branford to get famous before he was able to record on a regular basis, but
Ellis finally received his long-overdue recognition. The father of six sons (including
Wynton,
Branford,
Delfeayo, and
Jason),
Ellis Marsalis' main importance to jazz may very well have been as a jazz educator; his former pupils (in addition to his sons) included
Terence Blanchard,
Donald Harrison,
Harry Connick, Jr.,
Nicholas Payton, and
Kent and
Marlon Jordan, among others.
Born in New Orleans in 1934, he started out as a tenor saxophonist, switching to piano while in high school.
Marsalis was one of the few New Orleans musicians of the era who did not specialize in Dixieland or rhythm & blues. He played with fellow modernists (including
Ed Blackwell) in the late '50s with AFO, recorded with
Cannonball and
Nat Adderley in the '60s, played with
Al Hirt (1967-1970), and was busy as a teacher.
Marsalis freelanced in New Orleans during the '70s and taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. He recorded with
Wynton and
Branford on Father and Sons in 1982, an album that they shared with
Chico and
Von Freeman. After that,
Marsalis recorded for ELM, Spindletop (a duet session with
Eddie Harris), Rounder, Blue Note, and
Columbia, issuing
Twelve's It on the latter in 1998.
Duke in Blue followed a year later.
Marsalis released 2000's Afternoon Session, 2005's
Ruminations in New York, and 2008's
An Open Letter to Thelonious. In 2011, he offered his second holiday-themed effort,
New Orleans Christmas Carol. He then joined son
Branford and pianist
Makoto Ozone for 2012's
Pure Pleasure for the Piano. The following year, he offered the urbane solo piano recording
On the First Occasion. In 2014, he guested on son
Delfeayo's
The Last Southern Gentlemen and joined trumpeter
Scotty Barnhart and the legacy Count Basie Orchestra for 2015's
A Very Swingin' Basie Christmas. An active performer,
Marsalis toured often and was a frequent guest at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Ellis Marsalis died in New Orleans on April 1, 2020; he was 85 years old. ~ Scott Yanow