The Marsalis family is to New Orleans jazz what the Waltons have been to Arkansas retail.
The dynasty started with Ellis Marsalis Sr. who, while not a musician, was a leader in the African-American business community in New Orleans. His son, Ellis Jr., born Nov. 14, 1934, first played tenor sax then moved on to play piano with icons such as Al Hirt and has taught all over New Orleans, influencing musicians like Harry Connick Jr. and four of his six sons, Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason.
FAQ
The Last Southern Gentlemen Tour
WHEN — 7:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE — Eureka Springs City Auditorium
COST — $25-$30
INFO — jazzeureka.org
FYI
Jazz Eureka
The event begins today with the Fayetteville Jazz Collective, performing at 7:30 p.m. at the Aud. (Tickets are $12.) There’s also free music in Basin Spring Park, with performances by Rodney Block tonight and by Matt and Gus Smith, Brandon Mezzelo, Walter Savage and Northeast State University Jazz All Stars featuring Tommy Poole starting at noon on Saturday.
At 79 years old, Ellis Marsalis is on tour with son Delfeayo, a trombonist, composer, producer, educator and 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award recipient.
"The Last Southern Gentlemen Tour" will stop Saturday in Eureka Springs as part of the annual Jazz Eureka festival. Delfeayo Marsalis paused earlier this week to answer five questions for What's Up!
Q. What inspired this tour?
A. I've been waiting for the right time to record and tour with my father, and the timing is perfect. On the heels of the extended "Sweet Thunder," a quartet outing is the perfect change of pace.
Q. How is it different working with your dad than with anyone else -- even your brothers?
A. My dad is a strong advocate of individuality and developing leadership, so he is actually a great accompanist. Unlike some parents, who want to dictate their children's professions, my dad demands a lot but always allows us to arrive at conclusions best suited for our personal needs.
Q. What's the most important thing he has taught you (at any time in your life)?
A. How to remain calm under intense fire. The most important thing he has done for me, however, is edit my writings. From elementary school until today, I always ask his opinion about word choices and sentence structures.
Q. How do you explain jazz to someone who "doesn't understand it"?
A. Play it for them.
Q. When people talk about your music and your family 100 years from now, what do you hope they say?
A. "They represented the joy and sophistication of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and all the great New Orleans jazz men!"
-- Becca Martin-Brown
NAN What's Up on 09/12/2014