Music legend Wynton Marsalis stepping down as Jazz at Lincoln Center's artistic director after nearly 40 years
“Wynton Marsalis, founder and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, will step down after nearly 40 years. He will transition to a founder role in 2027 and continue to serve on the center’s board. Marsalis, a highly influential figure in jazz, helped establish the institution and its home, the Frederick P. Rose Hall.
Wynton Marsalis, founder and first artistic director of Jazz at the Lincoln Center, will be stepping down after nearly 40 years in the role.
The Board of Directors at the center announced Thursday that Marsalis will transition from his current role as artistic and administrative leader over the next two years.
Marsalis is one of the most influential figures in the industry. As one of the most recognizable faces at Lincoln Center, he helped move jazz into the prestigious cultural institution.
"When we established Jazz at Lincoln Center in 1987, our goal was to build an enduring jazz institution that would both entertain and educate by exposing multi-generational audiences to an often-overlooked aspect of American culture, and I am proud of the tremendous progress we've made," Marsalis said in a statement.
In 2004, he helped open the Frederick P. Rose Hall, which was the first complex devoted solely to jazz.
The world-renowned musician, composer, performer and educator is also the man who plays trumpet for the "CBS Sunday Morning" opening theme.
Next steps for Marsalis
Officials said Marsalis will continue as the artistic director during the 2026-27 season. Starting in July 2027, he will serve on staff as a founder. Then, at the end of his contract in June 2028, he will continue to serve on the center's board.
"While Mr. Marsalis will also relinquish his current duties in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, he will continue to play with the orchestra on occasion and at select concerts in the House of Swing and other venues," a news release stated.
Jazz at the Lincoln Center established two special committees to prepare for his departure. One will collaborate with him to identify the next generation of leadership, including the next artistic director. The other will search for the next executive director to replace Greg Scholl, who is resigning in June.
Jazz at the core of his life
Marsalis, 64, has recorded over 100 studio albums, won a total of nine Grammys and holds a Pulitzer Prize. By age 22, he became the first musician to win a Grammy in both jazz and classical music in the same year.
The music pioneer inspired countless musicians, including South Bronx-native Carlos Henriquez, a Jazz at Lincoln Center bassist.
"He's my musical father. He's basically taught me a lot about what this music, jazz, we call jazz. he's taught me everything about music," Henriquez said. "There's so many parts of him that influence us for what we do now ... the soulful part, the musical part, the philanthropy part."
Marsalis was born to renowned jazz pianist and educator Ellis Marsalis Jr. He was given his first trumpet at age 6 and began classical training at 12. As a teen, he attended the famed Juilliard School, and at 18, he was "hailed as the figure who would usher in a jazz renaissance."
