The youngest of the Marsalis family, Jason Marsalis is a gifted drummer who surprised the jazz world by transitioning to vibraphone, revealing an entirely new musical voice and establishing himself as one of the instrument's most interesting contemporary practitioners.
Biography
Jason grew up surrounded by jazz royalty — his father Ellis, brothers Wynton, Branford, and Delfeayo — and made his first recording at fifteen. He developed as a drummer through years with Marcus Roberts, his father's groups, and the Los Hombres Calientes Latin jazz ensemble he co-founded. His turn to the vibraphone in the late 2000s was initially unexpected but has proven genuinely fruitful: his vibes quartet recordings reveal a compositional sensibility and a playful rhythmic intelligence that are entirely his own. Along with Herlin Riley and Shannon Powell, he performs as part of the New Orleans Groovemasters.
Discography