A Journey Through Jazz and a Meeting with a Legend
A few Saturdays ago in September, I was at the Radio Station, sitting behind the studio console, headphones on, transmitting to radio listeners, classic John Coltrane tunes, also reading out his biography while explaining each track played—by album title, year of release, personnel involved, etc. Paying tributes to jazz legends on their birth month or birthdays is a major highlight on Maximum Jazz, my radio show.
The sheer thrill of researching biographies and discographies to present on live radio gave me such a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment. I recall those solitary moments between each track played when my imagination would drift to the 50s and 60s, decades before I was born, to the era that birthed the best of jazz and musicians of legendary status.
As the music would soar round my brain through the headphones, I had just enough time to daydream about what it would be like to meet any one of those legendary jazz musicians in person, or to watch them live in concert. Sadly most of the jazz legends whose music I feature on jazz radio are deceased! I would often wish I’d been born several decades earlier so perchance I could meet them in person—would that I could pay tribute to the living “when they can still smell the roses,” as someone aptly put it! Alas the opportunity to do so presented itself, for behold a living jazz legend was walking among us—the pied piper of jazz himself came into Accra, Ghana, my city. Naturally my joy knew no bounds!
Wynton Marsalis: A Musical Prodigy
Wynton Marsalis’ music had featured prominently on Maximum Jazz Radio Show since its creation in 2012. His music featured on the Classics segment or the “Serious Jazz” segment. But it was in 2020 during the Corona Pandemic era that I became very much fascinated by his music and legacy.
In 2020 while organizing a Tribute & Concert for Miles Davis which was broadcast live from the Radio & Television Station due to the nation-wide ban on movement and social activities; during my research of Miles Davis I came across articles of Wynton Marsalis’ criticism and disapproval of Miles’ evolving into pop, electronic music, and “watered down jazz”.
While I noted some merits to his opinion/criticism, what intrigued me most was Wynton Marsalis’ age at that time!
Early Life and Musical Development
Wynton Marsalis was born October 18, 1961. At the time in question, he would have been roughly 25 years old. I wondered how a young musician could possess such boldness as to publicly criticize a legend of Miles Davis’ status knowing Miles was at least 15 years senior, more particularly the conduct of Wynton Marsalis during an incident of 1986 at a Miles Davis Concert. I believed that such audacity could only emanate from someone who was equally a legend and well ahead of his time. Right away, I embarked upon research of Wynton Marsalis’ life and legacy.
Wynton Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to jazz pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis Jr. and Dolores Marsalis. At age six, his father’s friend Al Hirt gifted Marsalis his first trumpet. By eight years old, he had begun his musical journey with the historic Fairview Baptist Church Band founded by Reverend Andrew Darby in 1970.
Around the age of twelve, a chance encounter with a young music student while riding the streetcar Uptown, after the music student gifted him his Maurice André record—a classical album—opened a new chapter in Marsalis’ musical studies. He decided to pursue the world of classical music.
When Wynton was a young teen, he and his brothers, Branford, Ellis III, Delfeayo and Jason, started attending lessons at the New Orleans Centre for the Creative Arts, where his father Ellis had become the director of the Jazz Programme. At the same time, Wynton got enrolled at Benjamin D Franklin High School where he was schoolmates with the likes of Terence Blanchard, renowned jazz trumpeter.
At age 14, Wynton could be found playing with several youth orchestras, local jazz and traditional brass bands, or with his popular local funk band, The Creators.
At 17, Marsalis gained admission to Tanglewood’s Berkshire Music Center, as their youngest student ever. Despite his youth, he was awarded the program’s prestigious Harry Shapiro Award for outstanding brass student. After receiving his diploma from Benjamin D. Franklin High School in New Orleans, Marsalis left home to continue studying classical music at The Juilliard School in New York City. He enrolled in the fall of 1979.
A Career Spanning Decades
Studying in Juilliard exposed him to New York’s flourishing jazz scene. A year later, 1980, Wynton Marsalis landed his first recording deal with Columbia Records. During this period, he and his brother Branford, became members of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, and toured worldwide with him. He was with Art Blakey for 2 years till 1982, recording an album with him. Marsalis then went on to tour with Herbie Hancock.
Marsalis released his first, self-titled album in 1982 and established his quintet same year which included his brother Branford on saxophone and 3 other musicians. That same year, he also released his first classical album titled Haydn, Hummel, L. Mozart: Trumpet Concertos. This album won Grammy Award for “Best Classical Soloist with an Orchestra” in 1983. His subsequent album Think of One (1983) – won 1983 Grammy for “Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Soloist”
With this, Marsalis became the first artist to win both jazz and classical Grammy Awards in the same year. A distinction he repeated in 1984 with his release of “Wynton Marsalis Plays Handel, Purcell, Torelli, Fasch and Molter” alongside album Hot House Flowers (1984). The Album “Black Codes” (1985) followed after this.
Exploring Themes and Collaborations
Wynton Marsalis’ music explored important themes such as: Transatlantic Slavery’, Socio-Economic Reality of Slaves in Southern Plantations, Oppression of Blacks (Blood on the Fields, 1997 which became the first jazz composition ever to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music also in the year 1997) Jazz as a metaphor for American democracy, celebrating the power of community and cooperation as means for creating an equitable environment for all (The album Democracy suites, 2020) Music exploring The Blues (Blues Symphony, 2021). There is also a deep spirituality and gospel message embodied in “All Rise”, 2002 album, which immediately reminds one of John Coltrane’s album -A Love Supreme, 1964.
The story-telling devices employed in Wynton Marsalis’ music, spontaneous exclamations with instruments, singers, choral group/gospel choir makes the listener have a special emotional connection to the music.
Haven listened to the East meets West project of Wynton Marsalis Quintet & the Sachal Jazz Ensemble (from Pakistan) Live in Marsiac 2013, “Rhanja Rhanja” and their version of John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” were 2 songs which stood out for me in that project.
I began to wonder if his latest project Afro! (7 movements) which has also been called “New York meets Africa” would bear any similar characteristics to the East meets West project. I had no doubt it would be another testament of his penchant for pushing boundaries and exploring deeper expressions of serious music.
A Live Experience in Accra
Thus I curiously searched the internet for snippets or teasers of this Project Afro! but it appeared it was being kept secret for his forthcoming coming tour in Africa. Because apart from short videos of snippets of rehearsals with drummers and African percussion, nothing more was revealed to the public about Afro! It was only by attending the concert that one could fully appreciate Afro! (and all 7 movements).
I was able to attend the 2nd day concert in Accra, Ghana scheduled for 8PM on 11th October 2025 at +233 Jazz Bar & Grill. I first arrived the venue a little after 3PM hoping to catch a glimpse of the Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra (JLCO) sound check, but they had not arrived, so I had to leave to make my 4-7 PM Live Broadcast of Maximum Jazz on Radio.
I had started a 2-part tribute to Wynton Marsalis that Saturday to coincide with his birthday of next week Saturday. After my radio show was over, I left the Radio/TV station, returned to the venue to arrive about quarter to 8PM and was pleasantly surprised to see a packed venue of Wynton Marsalis loyalists and punctual arrivals amidst an atmosphere filled with anticipation, excitement and awe!
Reflections and Lessons Learned
After the performance, the queue was long as quite a number of people including diplomats, dignitaries wanted to have a handshake or a picture taken with him. I was finally close enough to get his attention and yes, he did give me his attention—while being courteous and alert.
My first question to him was about his working with Art Blakey and if it had influenced him as a band leader. He responded, “Yes it did…He was the foundation of my understanding…He influenced me a lot.” Next I asked about his being a perfectionist, his strict adherence to high standards & principles of music, if these were a result of him being classically trained. His response was: “No I was always like that, I applied that to playing classical music, I was like that in everything…”
Then I asked whether the title Afro! is justified as there were many aspects to Afro besides percussion and if he would consider using actual African dialect/language, praise/griot singing in his project. His response was: “You can only put so much into something, this (project) already has a lot in it.”
The question that really got him excited was the next one. I took him back to the 80s when he criticized Miles Davis…he did not allow me finish the question and immediately passionately expressed “Yes, I wasn’t harsh enough,” I asked if he would take back any of the words he spoke to Miles Davis. Wynton replied “I won’t take anything back, I would be more harder on him…”
At this point both his manager and head of security had begun telling me my time was up, but Wynton Marsalis instructed them to allow me ask my questions. So, referencing his previous interview on Nigeria’s Broadcast Media “Arise News,” where he said he was “interested in seeing people’s reaction to music that isn’t typically commercial..” I asked what his impression was of the audience that had attended his concert in Ghana.
He responded “I think people stayed and checked it out, there was a lot of people in the audience…People need to know that the integrity of the music is something that’s real…”
My encounter ended with Wynton Marsalis endorsing my Maximum Jazz Radio Show. I wished him a Happy 64th Birthday in advance while taking away these lessons from him:
- Be unapologetic about your standards.
- Set your standards very high, and realistic & be consistent in maintaining them.
- Do not cut corners, be willing to go the extra mile, work hard to achieve results.
- You do not need anyone’s validation when you know your worth and are confident in yourself.
- Acknowledge those who have taught you and showed you the way, even after you’ve outgrown them.
I later sought out the singer, Shenel Johns to congratulate her amazing performance.
