Wynton Marsalis tells why he is breaking up his band

Jet, Dec 26, 1994

Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis recently announced that his seven member group is breaking up so that he can devote more time to other musical ventures and promote his new jazz book.

Marsalis, 33, made the announcement during his recent engagement at New York's Village Vanguard nightclub. He told the audience: "I'm going to enjoy this last week," noting that the New York engagement would be the last for him and the group.

Marsalis and the group have been together for seven years and includes saxophonists Wess Anderson and Victor Goines, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, bassist Ben Wolfe, pianist Eric Reed and drummer Herlin Riley.

"We had gone in a certain direction for a long time, so it was time for us to do something else," he recently told JET during a telephone interview from his home in New York.

Marsalis told JET he will spend more time working on musical projects at New York's Lincoln Center, where he is artistic director of its prestigious jazz program. "I'll be working more at Lincoln Center. I want to work with a big band, write more on that scale."

He plans to tour as a solo artist and eventually form a big band, which will include his old band members.

The eight-time Grammy Award winner will also spend time promoting his new book, Sweet Swing Blues On The Road, which features the works of photographer Frank Stewart. "The book deals with life on the road and lets people see what it is like to be a jazz musician."