Jazz great Ellis Marsalis Jr, who died of Covid-19 last week, was much more than a musician

For decades, Ellis Marsalis Jr. made music that was elegant and intelligent, playful and poignant. But just as importantly, he also enabled many other people to have a career in jazz as well. Photo: AFP

For many years, pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. did not think of himself as having a "jazz career."

Finally, during a lecture/performance in the early 1980s, a student asked him about it.