When I first came to New York everybody on the scene would treat me like I could play, but I couldn't.

98 GPA. " In his 1997 book Blue: The Murder of Jazz Eric Nisenson argues that Marsalis's focus on a narrow portion of jazz's past stifled growth and innovation. At an early age he exhibited an aptitude for music.

Marsalis has been awarded nine Grammys in both genres and a jazz recording of his was the first of its kind to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Marsalis has promoted the appreciation of classical and jazz music often to young audiences.