Branford Marsalis, the renowned jazz saxophonist and composer, has taken on a new role as the artistic director for the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in his hometown of New Orleans. The center, named after Branford's late father, serves as a hub for music education and community engagement. It is part of the Musicians' Village, a Habitat for Humanity housing development that was established to support musicians who were displaced after Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in 2005.
Marsalis, who had been living in Durham, North Carolina, for years, decided to return to New Orleans not specifically to take on this role, but rather to reconnect with his roots. Becoming the artistic director of the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music is simply the 'icing on the cake' for him, as he put it in an interview with The Associated Press.
