NEW ORLEANS (Top40 Charts) - Ellis L. Marsalis Senior, a civil rights activist and Jefferson Parish businessman, died Sunday at Ochsner Foundation Hospital. He was 96 years old.
Born on November 14, 1934, he began formal studies at the Xavier University junior school of music at age eleven. After high school Marsalis enrolled at Dillard University(New Orleans) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education.
After a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, Marsalis returned to New Orleans and married New Orleanian Dolores Ferdinand who bore him six sons; Branford, Wynton, Ellis III, Delfeayo, Mboya and Jason.
Marsalis would eventually become New Orleans' leading Jazz educator. He became a lecturer at Xavier University and an adjunct teacher at Loyola University. Marsalis enrolled in the graduate program at Loyola University and graduated with a Masters of Music Education.
Marsalis' teaching career would flower at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA). Many of his former students are professional musicians locally as well as internationally. Three of his six sons, Branford, Wynton and Delfeayo as well as trumpeter Terence Blanchard, saxophonist Donald Harrison and pianist Harry Connick, Jr have since attained worldwide acclaim with recording contracts on major labels. Youngest son Jason is emerging as an important drummer on the local and national music scene.He is both a bandleader and frequently holds the drum chair in the Marcus Roberts ensembles.
Marsalis has made numerous appearances on television's Today show, the Tonight show with both Carson and Leno and on the Arsenio Hall Show.
The winner of several awards, Marsalis and New Orleans singer/actress Joanne Creighton(AKA Lady BJ) shared honors at the 1984 Ace Awards for the best single music program on cable television. In 1986 Marsalis accepted a position at Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond,Va) as Coordinator of Jazz Studies. Three years later he would return to New Orleans to occupy a chair endowed by the Coca Cola company and become Director of the Jazz Studies Division at the University of New Orleans.
In 1989 Marsalis was honored by Dillard University, the site of his undergraduate studies, with an honorary Doctorate of Music. Marsalis continued to occupy the Coca Cola Jazz Chair as Director of the Jazz Studies Division at the University of New Orleans.
Marsalis' son, Ellis Jr., is a renowned New Orleans pianist, music professor and father to four prominent musician children: Wynton, the trumpeter; saxophonist Branford; trombonist Delfeayo and drummer Jason. Ellis Jr. also mentored singer Harry Connick Jr.
A funeral is scheduled for Thursday in New Orleans.
