An Evening with Branford Marsalis

Audiences are invited to join us at 6:30 pm for Program Notes with trumpeter, composer, and eductor Robert Beasley. He will provide insights into the evening’s performance, focusing on the historical importance of tenor saxophone-led jazz quartets. The discussion will highlight the long-running quartets of John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and Branford Marsalis.

“Branford Marsalis has achieved singular status in the worlds of both jazz and classical music.” — Stereophile

Jazz luminary Branford Marsalis returns to the Lensic for an unforgettable evening of music. The New Orleans-born artist is an award-winning saxophonist, band leader, featured classical soloist, and a film and Broadway composer. He is a multi-award-winning artist with three Grammys, was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, and is an avatar of contemporary artistic excellence.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet, formed in 1986, remains his primary means of expression. In its virtually uninterrupted three-plus decades of existence, the Quartet has established a rare breadth of stylistic range as demonstrated on the band’s latest release: The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul. But Branford has not confined his music to the jazz quartet context. A frequent soloist with classical ensembles, Branford has become increasingly sought after as a featured soloist with acclaimed orchestras around the world, performing works by composers such as Copeland, Debussy, Glazunov, Ibert, Mahler, Milhaud, Rorem, Vaughan Williams, and Villa-Lobos. His legendary guest performances with the Grateful Dead and collaborations with Sting have made him a fan favorite in the pop arena.

Event Sponsor: