BOOTHBAY HARBOR

Ellis Marsalis is regarded by many as the premier modern jazz pianist in New Orleans. This patriarch of the famed musical Marsalis family comes to Maine this summer to perform at the Opera House in Boothbay Harbor on Saturday, Aug. 15.

Born in 1934, he began formal music studies at the Xavier University junior school of music at age 11. After high school Marsalis enrolled in Dillard University (New Orleans) as a clarinet major. He graduated with a degree in music education in 1955. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps and while stationed in Southern California began honing his skills as a pianist on a television show entitled “Dress Blues” and a radio show called “Leatherneck Songbook”. Both shows were sponsored by the Marine Corps. After completing a stint in the Marine Corps Marsalis returned to New Orleans and married Dolores Ferdinand. They raised 6 sons; Branford, Wynton, Ellis III, Delfeayo, Miboya and Jason.

In 1964 Marsalis moved his wife and family to the small rural Louisiana town of Breux Bridge where he became a school band and choral director at Carver high school for2 years. Returning to New Orleans he began to freelance once again on the local music scene. Between 1966 and 1974 Marsalis performed at the Playboy Club, in the Al Hirt night club, Lu and Charles night club. He was also hired as adjunct professor at Xavier University in New Orleans and at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts High School. As an educator he influenced the careers of his students including trumpeter Terence Blanchard, Harry Connick, Jr. and Nicholas Payton as well as his 4 musical sons.

In 1986 Marsalis accepted the position of Commonwealth Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia before returning to New Orleans to become the first occupant of the CocaCola endowed chair of Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans.

Marsalis has released nearly 20 albums and been a guest on several network television shows including NBC’s TODAY, the The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno as hosts; the “Arsenio Hall show” with pianist Marcus Roberts; “The Charlie Rose Show;” “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood; “ABC’s “Good Morning America” and several local and regional television shows. In 2011 he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Tickets for this evening of jazz from one who has influenced so many are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the performance. The Opera House box office at 86 Townsend Avenue is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday- Friday or by calling (207)633- 5159. Tickets and information are also available online at boothbayoperahouse.com. Doors for seating open at 7 pm, Ellis Marsalis goes on stage at 7:30 pm. Sponsorship support for this evening by one of the genre’s masters is provided by an anonymous lover of jazz.