Monterey Jazz Festival - A Tribute to Sonny Rollins

Branford joins Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Joshua Redman, Gerald Clayton, Scott Colley & Lewis Nash for a concert at the Monterey Jazz Festival for a Tribute to Sonny Rollins

Branford receives an Honorary Doctorate of Letter from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA

Branford Marsalis is awarded an honorary degree for his musical achievements and for his work rebuilding his hometown after Hurricane Katrina.

Branford composes and records music for HBO’s movie, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is released on HBO. A drama television film directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne. It is based on the book of the same name by Rebecca Skloot and documents the story of Henrietta Lacks, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in the 1950s, and whose cancer cells (later known as HeLa) would change the course of cancer treatment.

Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling tour Europe

In support of their new album, Upward Spiral, the band returns to Europe. The group makes stops in Hamburg, Munich, Vienna, Frankfurt, Utrecht, Netherlands, Gent, Belgium among others.

Upward Spiral Nominated for a 2017 Grammy Award!

The Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling nominated for a 2017 Grammy in the category of Best Jazz Vocal Album!

Branford returns home to Louisiana

The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra invites Branford to perform two concerts with them, presenting works by Williams and Villa Lobos. While in town, Branford visits LSU to present a master class and joins the LSU jazz faculty for a concert.

Upward Spiral is released

On June 10, 2016, the Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling releases their debut collaboration, Upward Spiral. For this album, the band members all contributed new arrangements to perform with this special line-up which looks beyond the Great American Songbook. Although following the format of a standard jazz quartet with vocals, the collaboration between jazz’s most intense band and one of jazz’s foremost singers proves to be anything but standard.