Marquis Hill Blacktet at Kuumbwa Jazz Center

From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally-renowned musician/composer/bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul – to Hill they’re all essential elements of the African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.” Today, Hill maintains a nonstop touring schedule with the Blacktet. The intensely interactive, utterly unique band has become a kind of graduate school for next-level talent...

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From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally-renowned musician/composer/bandleader, Marquis Hill has worked tirelessly to break down the barriers that divide musical genres. Contemporary and classic jazz, hip-hop, R&B, Chicago house, neo-soul – to Hill they’re all essential elements of the African-American creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.” Today, Hill maintains a nonstop touring schedule with the Blacktet. The intensely interactive, utterly unique band has become a kind of graduate school for next-level talent. As Hill puts it, “One of the most beautiful things about leading a group is the flow of knowledge and energy that we bounce off of one another…Each member contributing their distinctive voice is what truly makes the music and magic happen.”

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