Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis (1961- ) is an American trumpeter, composer, and bandleader, known for his virtuosity and his championing of traditional jazz. Considered one of the foremost musicians of his generation, Marsalis has been an important ambassador for jazz, fusing a respect for its roots with a contemporary sensibility.

A member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, he has recorded numerous solo albums, combining classical jazz with influences from baroque music and the blues. A multiple Grammy Award winner, Marsalis has played a key role in the education and promotion of jazz, receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1997 for his composition Blood on the Fields.

His legacy includes not only his technical skill on the trumpet, but also his role in preserving and expanding jazz as a contemporary art form.