Artist: Jason Marsalis

Jason Marsalis is an American jazz drummer, vibraphone player, composer, producer, band leader, and member of the Marsalis family of musicians.

Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Dolores (née Ferdinand) and Ellis Louis Marsalis, Jr., a pianist and music professor. His brothers are Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis III, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Mboya Kenyatta (1971).

Marsalis graduated from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and studied percussion at Loyola University New Orleans. He worked as a sideman in mainstream jazz, funk, and jazz fusion groups (Neslort and Snarky Puppy); a Brazilian percussion ensemble (Casa Samba); and played Celtic music with Beth Patterson.

Marsalis has had a long professional career and collaboration with pianist Marcus Roberts. In 1994 at the age of 17 he toured as a member of the Marcus Roberts Trio performing selections from Roberts' Gershwin for Lovers. In 2022 he continues performing with Marcus Roberts as a member of the trio and Robert's Modern Jazz Generation. In a program of Duke Ellington songs at Carnegie Hall with Marcus Roberts, bassist Rodney Jordan, vocalist Catherine Russell, and the American Symphony Orchestra, critic Seth Colter Walls writes "The drumming by Marsalis was likewise individual in character, particularly during "Three Black Kings."

At the age of 21, Marsalis released his first record as leader, The Year of the Drummer.

In 2009, Marsalis released his first album as a leader on vibraphone, entitled Music Update. The album received 4.5 out of 5 stars in DownBeat magazine. Writing in The New York Times, critic Ben Ratliff said that Marsalis was "an excellent musician trying out something risky without embarrassment."

In 2013, Marsalis released his second vibraphone record, In a World of Mallets, as the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet. The quartet consisted of Austin Johnson (piano), Will Goble (bass), and Dave Potter (drums), and each contributed one song to the record and most of the other songs were composed by Marsalis. Marsalis plays marimba, glockenspiel, tubular bells, vibraphone, and xylophone. The record peaked at #1 in JazzWeek's chart.