Ellis Marsalis Jr. dies aged 85
Jazz pioneer and patriarch of the Marsalis musical family has died aged 85
Last updated 2nd Apr 2020
Jazz pioneer and pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr has died at the age of 85 after being diagnosed with coronavirus, his family has reported.
Ellis Marsalis Jr., a legend of the New Orleans jazz scene, was the patriarch of a well-known musical family.
Four of Marsalis Jr sons followed in footsteps to become musicians. Famous trumpeter Wynton is one of the most prominent jazz figures in the US as artistic director of jazz at New York's Lincoln Center. The Jazz FM Awards 2020 nominee and Grammy-winning saxophonist Branford revealed that his father had died due to complications after contracting COVID-19.
Tributes have been pouring online for Ellis, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and singer John Legend.
Born in New Orleans in 1934, Ellis originally played saxophone before switching to piano whilst studying at university.
Although Ellis played with a series of famous jazz figures in the 1950s and 1960s, including Cannonball Adderley, Al Hirt and Nat Adderley, he is best known for his work as a jazz educator at the New Orleans Center for Creative arts, having taught his sons, Harry Connick Jr., Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison and Nicholas Payton.
Our thoughts are with the Marsalis family and friends of Ellis during this difficult time.