A Tribute to Ellis Marsalis Jr.
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra has announced its 2025 tribute concert, which will be a tribute to New Orleans jazz musician Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Marsalis was an extremely successful and highly-regarded for his music and dedication to musical education, all which had tremendous impact on the New Orleans community.
The concert will take place at the Orpheum Theater on September 6 at 8 p.m. and will feature performances from four of his sons, Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis, as well as extremely accomplished artists such as Marsalis' lifelong friend and Pulitzer Prize nominee Roger Dickerson.
Performances
The tribute concert will include Wynton Marsalis' Swing Symphony, also featuring his brothers Jason and Delfeayo, as well as a performance of Ellis Marsalis Jr.'s The Fourth Autumn.
Roger Dickerson will also be performing the world premiere of his new orchestral work, featuring Branford Marsalis. There will also be performances of work by Leonard Bernstein and Duke Ellington.
Information for Attendees
Tickets will start at $45 and will be available later this July on LPO's website. Sponsorships are available now and start at $500. Sponsors who make contributions of over $1,000 will be invited to attend a reception before the performance on the Orpheum's orchestra level for complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres with LPO musicians and guest artists.
Proceeds from the concert will go to LPO's education and community outreach programs, including LPO Academy, Soul Strings, and Musical Storytimes. LPO Academy is an in-school musical mentorship program that allows students to work one-on-one with musical mentors to fine tune their musical skills. Soul Strings is a program that uses musical therapy for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Musical Storytimes is a free concert series that tells stories through music for people of all ages at Popp Bandstand in City Park.
Ellis Marsalis, Jr.'s Sons Follow in his Footsteps
Branford Marsalis' career includes a Grammy Award, a Drama Desk Award, TONY and EMMY nominations, and his work as a film and broadway composer, bandleader, and featured classical soloist. His music has appeared in films including Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. He also received an EMMY nomination for his composing work in the History Channel's Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre.
Delfeayo Marsalis is an award winning musician, composer, and producer with a prolific career. Like his father, he also focuses on education to empower youth through jazz music and theater training. His latest CD, Crescent City Jewels, was in the top 10 charts for eight weeks on Jazz Week Radio. He has toured with artists such as Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Max Roach, and more.
Jason Marsalis is an accomplished musician and has recorded multiple albums including The Year of the Drummer and Music in Motion, where he is on drums, and Music Update and In a World of Mallets, where he plays the vibraphone. He has worked with Robert Marcus as part of his Robert Marcus Trio and his Modern Jazz Generation. He also plays with fellow drummers Shannon Powell and Herlin Riley as The New Orleans Groovemasters.
Wynton Marsalis is an extremely successful trumpeter, jazz and classical musician, and composer with nine GRAMMY awards and a Pulitzer Prize for his jazz compositions. He is currently the director of jazz at the Lincoln Center. He attended Juilliard, where he earned a Bachelor of Music. He also hosted Marsalis on Music and an NPR broadcast series called Making the Music, both of which led to him being awarded with the George Foster Peabody Award. He also currently serves as the director of the Juilliard jazz program.
