Marshall was Jimmy Blanton's cousin. He studied at Lincoln University, then served in the Army during World War II. Following his discharge, he played with Stuff Smith, then relocated to New York City, where he began playing with Mercer Ellington. From 1948 to 1955 he played with Duke Ellington.
Following his time with the Duke, Marshall played in pit orchestras on Broadway and freelanced with Mary Lou Williams, Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Milt Jackson, and Hank Jones among others. He retired in 1968.
The Trio Featuring Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall And Kenny Clarke
Discography
With Gene Ammons
Twisting the Jug (Prestige, 1961) - with Joe Newman and Jack McDuff
Soul Summit Vol. 2 (Prestige, 1961 [1962])
Late Hour Special (Prestige, 1961 [1964])
Velvet Soul (Prestige, 1961-62 [1964])
Angel Eyes (Prestige, 1962 [1965])
Sock! (Prestige, 1962 [1965])
With Dorothy Ashby
The Jazz Harpist (Regent, 1957)
With Louis Bellson
The Driving Louis Bellson (Norgran, 1955)
With Art Blakey
Art Blakey Big Band (Bethlehem, 1957)
With Kenny Burrell
Weaver of Dreams (Columbia, 1960–61)
With Arnett Cobb
Party Time (Prestige, 1959)
With Eddie Costa
Guys and Dolls Like Vibes (Coral/Verve, 1958) with Bill Evans, Paul Motian
The House of Blue Lights (Dot, 1959) with Paul Motion
With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Misty (Moodsville, 1960) - with Shirley Scott
Trane Whistle (Prestige, 1960)
With Jimmy Giuffre
The Music Man (Atlantic, 1958)
With Tiny Grimes
Callin' the Blues (Prestige, 1958) - with J. C. Higginbotham
Tiny in Swingville (Swingville, 1959) - with Jerome Richardson
With Gigi Gryce
Jazz Lab (Columbia, 1957) - with Donald Byrd
Gigi Gryce and the Jazz Lab Quintet (Riverside, 1957)
Modern Jazz Perspective (Columbia, 1957) - with Donald Byrd
Doin' the Gigi (Uptown, 2011)
With Coleman Hawkins
Accent on Tenor Sax (Urania, 1955)
Soul (Prestige, 1958)
Coleman Hawkins All Stars (Swingville, 1960) - with Joe Thomas and Vic Dickenson
At Ease with Coleman Hawkins (Moodsville, 1960)
With Johnny Hodges
Blue Rabbit (Verve, 1964)
With Milt Jackson
Meet Milt Jackson (Savoy, 1956)
Roll 'Em Bags (Savoy, 1956)
The Jazz Skyline (Savoy, 1956)
With Willis Jackson
Cool "Gator" (Prestige, 1959)
Blue Gator (Prestige, 1960)
Cookin' Sherry (Prestige, 1959–60)
Together Again! (Prestige, 1959-60 [1965]) - with Jack McDuff
Really Groovin' (Prestige, 1961)
In My Solitude (Moodsville, 1961)
Together Again, Again (Prestige, 1960 [1966]) - with Jack McDuff
Thunderbird (Prestige, 1962)
With Illinois Jacquet
Desert Winds (Argo, 1964)
With J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding
K + J.J. (Bethlehem, 1955)
With Hank Jones
The Trio (Savoy, 1955)
Bluebird (Savoy, 1955)
With Herbie Mann
Flute Flight (Prestige, 1957) - with Bobby Jaspar
Flute Soufflé (Prestige, 1957) - with Bobby Jaspar
Yardbird Suite (Savoy, 1957)
With Jack McDuff
Brother Jack (Prestige, 1960)
With Carmen McRae
Carmen McRae (Bethlehem, 1954)
With Gerry Mulligan
Jazz Concerto Grosso (ABC-Paramount, 1957) with Bob Brookmeyer and Phil Sunkel
Two of a Mind (RCA Victor, 1962) with Paul Desmond
With Oliver Nelson
Meet Oliver Nelson (New Jazz, 1959)
With Joe Newman
Joe's Hap'nin's (Swingville, 1961)
With Betty Roché
Singin' & Swingin' (Prestige, 1960)
With Charlie Rouse and Paul Quinichette
The Chase Is On (Bethlehem, 1958)
With Pee Wee Russell
Swingin' with Pee Wee (Swingville, 1960) with Buck Clayton
With A. K. Salim
Flute Suite (Savoy, 1957) with Frank Wess and Herbie Mann
With Shirley Scott
Soul Searching (Prestige, 1959)
With Johnny "Hammond" Smith
Gettin' the Message (Prestige, 1960)
Stimulation (Prestige, 1961)
Opus De Funk (Prestige, 1961 [1966])
With Sonny Stitt
Sonny Stitt Plays (Roost, 1955)
Sonny Stitt with the New Yorkers (Roost, 1957)
With Buddy Tate
Tate's Date (Swingville, 1960)
With Clark Terry:
Clark Terry (EmArcy, 1955)
With Lucky Thompson
Lucky Thompson Plays Jerome Kern and No More (Moodsville, 1963)
