Marsalis Family To Release Live Album For Music Center

Date: 09.25.2009
Publication: Daily News Headlines

Combined generations of the Marsalis family will release their Music Redeems (Marsalis Music) on Aug. 24. The CD is a recording of the family’s performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., last year when patriarch Ellis Marsalis received the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Proceeds from the disc’s sales will benefit the Ellis Marsalis Center For Music In New Orleans.

Along with pianist Ellis, other Marsalis family members on the disc include trumpeter Wynton, saxophonist Branford, trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason. Poet Ellis III also appears along with guest Harry Connick Jr.

Construction of the Ellis Marsalis Center For Music is expected to be completed in the spring of 2011. Along with the new disc, the center will launch a Web site for a capital campaign.

“Having the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music named for me is more than an honor,” Ellis Marsalis said. “It is also an opportunity to realize many of the dreams I have long held for the music and musicians of New Orleans.”