Wynton Marsalis
A portrait of the American trumpet virtuoso
Trumpet virtuoso, bandleader, composer and educator. American legend Wynton Marsalis is all that and more. He has over a hundred recordings and a thousand concerts to his name, ranging from jazz to classical. He received nine Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize for Music and was named Messenger of Peace by Kofi Annan.
All these facets come together in the three projects Marsalis will be presenting during Klarafestival 2025: from an interactive introduction to jazz for pupils, to a double Belgian premiere with the Belgian National Orchestra and star violinist Nicola Benedetti and a swinging final concert with the cream of the American jazz scene. Each time accompanied by the best big band in the world: the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
4 x Wynton Marsalis
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28.03 Belgian National Orchestra, JLCO, Wynton Marsalis & Nicola Benedetti - The Jungle
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29.03 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra & Wynton Marsalis - Democracy!
from symphony to string quartet
American trumpet player Wynton Marsalis feels equally at home in jazz and classical music. His diverse and extensive oeuvre proves it. At Bozar, he performs a double Belgian premiere of his fourth symphony The Jungle alongside the Belgian National Orchestra and the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Orchestra, and of his Violin Concerto, written for star violinist Nicola Benedetti. And at Flagey, the versatile Simply Quartet will perform the Creole Contradanzas first string quartet.
Jazz as a metaphor for democracy
For his final concert at Klarafestival 2025, trumpet player Wynton Marsalis performs as bandleader of his acclaimed Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The New York ensemble consists of 15 top musicians from the contemporary jazz scene and tours worldwide. At Bozar, they will perform Marsalis' Democracy! Suite for septet, an eight-part work inspired by the covid pandemic, the turbulent presidential election and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. Out of a deep belief that jazz can provide an answer to issues of democracy and humanity, with his suite Marsalis wrote an optimistic and combative response to the tragic events.
Jazz for Young People
Just as important as his music is Marsalis' social engagement. An advocate for American culture, he brings jazz out of the dark bars to concert halls and schools. He is only too happy to share that passion with the rest of the world. Not only through concerts, but also in master classes, open rehearsals, radio and TV shows. Or through the interactive concert series Jazz for Young People in cooperation with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. After the success of the first edition in 2017, the world's most famous jazz orchestra is once again descending on Bozar to delve into the rich jazz history of the United States, together with pupils of secondary schools. We bet they’ll listen to jazz in a whole new way afterwards.
Wynton Marsalis © Frank Stewart
