Branford performs solo in Europe
In support of his solo release In My Solitude: Live At Grace Cathedral, Branford embarks on a month-long tour of Germany and Swtizerland. Performing classically with the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich to begin the tour, he then continued on to perform solo in cathedrals and churches throughout Germany and Swtizerland. The tour was interspersed with educational activites at some of the most prominent music iniversities in this region of Europe.
BMQ is joined by Kurt Elling for warm-up dates and recording in New Orleans
The Quartet rarely invites other musicians into the folds of their cohesive unit, but in December 2015, they were joined by guest-vocalist Kurt Elling for a weekend’s engagement at New Orleans’ Snug Harbor. This culminated with three days in the studios of the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music where, energized by the artistic promise of this collaboration, the musicians all contributed new arrangements to record with this special line-up. The result can be heard on their June 2016 release, Upward Spiral.
Branford performs with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
For the first time, Branford performs the John Adams' Saxophone Concerto with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Edwin Outwater. It was presented over two nights, first in Tokyo at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, followed by a concert in Hachioji at Olympus Hall Hachioji.
In My Solitude: Live At Grace Cathedral released
Branford's first solo album, In My Solitude: Live At Grace Cathedral, is released on October 27, 2014. Recorded live during Branford's solo performance at the historic Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, CA on October 5, 2012, this album marks the first release in a new partnership with Okeh Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music. The cathedral is the site of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts in the Sixties and, since 1983, home to recitals at the centerpiece of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival, and proved an ideal setting for a program spanning early and post-bop jazz, baroque and contemporary classical music and spontaneous improvisation.
Marsalis Well-Tempered
Branford Marsalis joins the highly celebrated Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in Marsalis “Well-Tempered” on a 20-city US tour, performing Baroque masterpieces by Albinoni, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and others.
Creative Director of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's Ascent Series
Branford Marsalis serves as the Creative Director for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Ascent Series during the 12-13 concert season. Branford visits Cincinnati two times during the season, once in November 2012 and the second in March 2013, for residency activites, educational workshops, special guest concerts, as well as two CSO subscription series concerts with the Orchestra.
iTunes selects Branford Marsalis Quartet's Four MFs Playin' Tunes as the best instrumental jazz album of 2012.