Branford Marsalis was born on 26 August 1960, in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, USA. He is a bandleader, composer, and saxophonist, best known for being called “the most respected living US jazz instrumentalist”. He’s played jazz mainly as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet. All of his efforts have helped put his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Branford Marsalis? As of mid-2017, sources inform us of a net worth that is at $5 million, mostly earned through a successful career in the music industry. He also performs as a soloist and with classic ensembles. He’s also the leader of the group Buckshot LeFonque and as he continues his career, it is expected that his wealth will also continue to increase.
Branford Marsalis Net Worth $5 million
Branford grew up in a musical family, the son of pianist Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr and his brothers Jason, Wynton, and Delfeayo are also jazz musicians. He attended the Berklee College of Music in the mid-1980s, during which time he toured Europe with a large ensemble as well as other big bands. He played on alto and baritone saxophones, then going on a tour in Japan. He worked with his brother Wynton until 1985 which led to his own recording entitled “Scenes in the City”. Afterwards, he joined Sting on a solo project entitled “The Dream of the Blue Turtles”, becoming `a regular of Sting’s line-up until the late-90s. His net worth started to increase, as he also appeared in the compilation CD, “Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool” which was named as Time’s Album of the Year. He also co-starred in the film “School Daze” before becoming the leader of the Tonight Show Band on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”.
Branford released a Buckshot LeFonque recording in 1997, and would then focus on The Branford Marsalis Quartet. They toured and recorded extensively, eventually winning a Grammy for their album “Contemporary Jazz” which was released in 2001. His net worth increased further, and he then explored classical music in the album “Creation”. In 2002, he founded his own label entitled Marsalis Music and during the early 2000s, he started teaching in various college, including San Francisco State and North Carolina Central University. In 2006, he was rewarded with an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the Berklee College of Music. Marsalis then toured with the Philharmonia Brasileira in the United States. Subsequently his quartet joined the North Carolina Symphony in 2009, and the following year he won a Drama Desk Award and got a Tony Award nomination for his contributions to the Broadway revival of “Fences”. He made his debut with the New York Philharmonic in the same year, his net worth constantly rising.
Marsalis along with some of his family members received a 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award. Afterwards, he released a duo album with Joey Calderazzo entitled “Songs of Mirth and Melancholy”. He followed this up with another release the following year entitled “Four MFs Playin’ Tunes”. In 2012, he was given an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. One of his latest performances was at the Democratic National Convention which he performed “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
For his personal life, it is known that Branford was married to Teresa Reese from 1985-94, and is now married to Nicole.
