New Orleans-born Branford Marsalis is an award-winning saxophonist, band leader, featured classical soloist, and a film and Broadway composer. In the process, he has become a multi-award-winning artist with three Grammys, a citation by the National Endowment for the Arts as a Jazz Master, and 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 Copland, 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.

His work on Broadway has garnered a Drama Desk Award and Tony nominations for the acclaimed revivals of *Children of a Lesser God*, *Fences*, and *A Raisin in the Sun*. He received an Emmy nomination for composing the music for the History Channel’s documentary, *Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre*. His screen credits further include original music composed for: Spike Lee’s *Mo’ Better Blues*, *The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks* starring Oprah Winfrey, *Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom* starring Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman, and *Rustin* starring Chadwick Boseman.