When the subject of jazz comes up these days, the name Marsalis is soon sure to follow. Brothers Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo, and Jason have all reached international fame. But before they found success, their father Ellis was shaping his own career as a jazz pianist and composer in New Orleans. Ellis Marsalis has now been recognized as one of the most renowned music educators in the U.S., imparting his extensive knowledge of jazz to students like Harry Connick, Jr., Terence Blanchard, and of course, his four sons. In 2011, He and his sons received the prestigious Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.