Musician Wynton Marsalis, 39, was named on Tuesday as a United Nations peace messenger by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in honor of the jazz artist's dedication to "what is best in humankind," reports Reuters. Marsalis, who it turns out is one of the secretary-general's favorite musicians, joins eight other celebrities who act as goodwill envoys for the United Nations: among them, Muhammad Ali, Michael Douglas, Luciano Pavarotti, author Elie Wiesel and Magic Johnson. "You have over the course of your extraordinary career in music demonstrated time and again your dedication to what is best in humankind," Annan told Marsalis. "Hopefully through your contributions to the world of music and charity, the message of peace will resound throughout the nations."