Like him or not, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis remains one of the most recognized and respected ambassadors of American jazz over the past 20 years. His take on the art form is seen as overtly puritanical by some critics, but there's no denying his influence across the genre and beyond. Though he's no longer the "young lion" of yore (circa his 1980 debut with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers), Marsalis's youthful zeal has matured into a dedicated furthering and defending of America's musical education. Even with multiple Grammys, the Pulitzer-winning oratorio
Blood on the Fields, and a prominent role in Ken Burns's landmark documentary,
Jazz, already under his belt,
Marsalis's work is far from over.