Wynton Marsalis visits with Pittsburgh high school musicians, raises big bucks for Pittsburgh Promise

When jazz great Wynton Marsalis rolled into town last Thursday morning, he had little time to unwind before Saleem Ghubril whisked him off to visit with 75 Pittsburgh high school students, reports NEXTpittsburgh.

They were among the City of Pittsburgh high school bands invited to play before the jazz trumpeter — who listened intently then offered practical advice and guidance about their performances. Nothing like hearing it from the best.

Besides being known as a brilliant musician, composer and bandleader, Marsalis was the first musician to ever win a Pulitzer Prize and he is highly acclaimed as an educator.

That’s what attracted us to him,” says Ghubril, executive director of The Pittsburgh Promise who invited him to town for their gala. “He is not just a great jazz musician but also a great educator.”

The lucky students who gathered at the Hill House in the Hill District, with its rich legacy of jazz, are not likely to forget their morning with the special guest instructor anytime soon.

Read the full story in NEXTpittsburgh, including who chipped in for the new $8.8 million in funding for the Pittsburgh Promise.