Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960, Beaux Bridge, Louisiana) is an American
jazz saxophonist. Branford studied with Alvin Batiste at Baton Rouge's Southern University in 1978, completing his studies at Berklee School of Music, between '79 & '81. He began his professional career in the early 1980s playing with
Art Blakey's big band (playing baritone),
Clark Terry's band, and Blakey's Jazz Messengers.