Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra

In 2007, NEA Jazz Master and Grammy-winning trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis formed the Uptown Jazz Orchestra for the purpose of preserving important jazz music traditions, including riff-playing, spontaneous group improvisations, and collective New Orleans instrumental polyphony. At the time, Marsalis realized the New Orleans music community was lacking the infusion of young homegrown talent outside of the brass band tradition and chose to form an orchestra that could authentically present traditional, classic, and modern compositions. Since then, the Uptown Jazz Orchestra has grown into one of the premier large ensembles in the world, releasing three critically acclaimed albums and touring locally, nationally, and internationally.

Since 2021, the Uptown Jazz Orchestra has produced the annual Jazz at Congo Square Festival to celebrate New Orleans culture by presenting live performances of musicians, poets, and dancers. Marsalis and the UJO plan to continue using the great legacy of American music to engage and inspire younger generations for many years.