Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited Program

Marquis Hill New Gospel Revisited

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OUR IMPACT

Jazz/ USA ArtPower presents Marquis Hill

October 25, 2022 at 8 pm

The Loft

Marquis Hill, leader/trumpet Jahari Stampley, piano/keyboards

Joshua Griffin, bass

Jeremiah Collier, drums

About the Artist

From his beginnings as one of Chicago’s most thrilling young trumpeters, to his current status as an internationally renowned musician, composer and 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 profound AfricanAmerican creative heritage he’s a part of. “It all comes from the same tree,” he says. “They simply blossomed from different branches.”

That mission to bring styles together, complemented by Hill’s absolute mastery of his instrument, is a through line connecting his many achievements. It can be heard on his latest album, Modern Flows Vol. II, with its seamless blend of jazz interplay, hip-hop-infused rhythms and socially conscious spoken-word. It’s integral to The Way We Play, his Concord Jazz debut from 2016, where Hill and his musicians reinvent jazz standards using their generation’s wide- ranging influences.

It marks the four records Hill self-released before November of 2014, when he won the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz competition and became a presence on the global scene virtually overnight.

And it defines the revelatory live dates by Hill’s longtime working group, the Blacktet, which the Chicago Tribune called “a remarkably polished, immensely attractive ensemble.”

For Hill, playing and listening without limits has long been an instinct. “It comes naturally; that’s the way I hear the music,” he says. “I came up in a household where my mom played Motown, R&B, Isley Brothers, Barry White, Marvin Gaye. Then I received my first jazz record, by Lee Morgan, and that was added to the collection. ... I truly believe that the music is all the same.”

Born in Chicago in 1987 and raised on the city’s culturally rich South Side, Hill began playing drums at age 4, before switching to trumpet in the 6th grade. He attended high school at Kenwood Academy, excelling in its revered jazz-performance program, and was mentored by Bobby Broom,

Willie Pickens, Tito Carrillo and other Chicago greats through the Ravinia Jazz Scholars program. Hill earned his bachelor’s in music education from Northern Illinois University and his master’s in jazz pedagogy from DePaul University. During college he made gigs and sessions around Chicago, jamming with and absorbing wisdom from the likes of Fred Anderson, Ernest Dawkins and Von Freeman. Even then, Hill was known in town as a stunningly gifted trumpeter with a soulful, highly textured tone. His sound is now somehow both deeply distinctive and a tour through jazz-trumpet history, evoking the high-drama stillness and space of Miles; the undeniable virtuosity of Clifford Brown and Freddie Hubbard; the groove- savvy phrasing of Lee Morgan and Donald Byrd; and much more.

Well before Hill won the Monk prize—arguably the most important jazz competition in the world—his reputation for brilliance was firmly established in the Midwest, as a member of the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, an in-demand sideman and a bandleader. He also developed into a precocious, determined young label owner, and has released five acclaimed discs—New Gospel, Sounds of the City, The Poet and Modern Flows Vols. I and II—through his Black Unlimited Music Group imprint. “Just having my personality, there’s nothing like being in control of what you produce and put out into the world,” he says. “It’s a great feeling.”

A move to New York in 2014 helped him gain wider exposure and new opportunities— though he frequently returns to his hometown for gigs and projects—and in recent years Hill has garnered an enviable spate of press. Previewing a Blacktet show, the New Yorker said, “His performances and recordings reveal a smart post-bop player who circumvents genre clichés by incorporating elements of hip-hop and contemporary R&B.” Of The Way We Play, DownBeat wrote, “The groove-laden arrangements provide the perfect soundscape for Hill’s fluid improvisational style, which, with its glass-like lucidity, recalls the crisp elegance of hard-bop stalwart Donald Byrd.” In 2016, Hill earned first place in the “Rising Star–Trumpet” category in that magazine’s storied Critics Poll. Throughout his journey, he has supported and guested with a who’s who of jazz that includes Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Boney James, Kurt Elling, Joe Lovano and Hill’s trailblazing Chicago peer Makaya McCraven.

Today, Hill maintains a nonstop touring schedule with the Blacktet, and the intensely interactive, utterly unique band has become a kind of graduate school for next-level talent—Hill included.“One of the most beautiful things about leading a group is the flow of knowledge and energy that we bounce off of one another,” he says. “Each member contributing their distinctive voice is what truly makes the music and magic happen.”

CATALYST ($20,000+)

Judith Bachner and Eric Lasley Elaine Galinson Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation Bobbie and Jon Gilbert

Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fund  of the Jewish Community Foundation Patricia and Christopher Weil  of The Weil Family Foundation  The Parker Foundation

CREATOR ($10,000–19,999)

Phyllis and Daniel Epstein Ronald and Wynona Goldman Jack Lampl New England Foundation for the Arts Charles and Marilyn Perrin George Clement Perkins Endowment

ADVOCATE ($2,500–9,999)

Joan J. Bernstein ArtPower Student Engagement Endowment Fund

Maureen and C. Peter Brown

Anne Marie Pleska and Luc Cayet Josephine Kiernan and Bjorn Bjerede

In Memory of Jennifer A. Dennis Martha and Edward Dennis Renita Greenberg and Jim Allison Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore Barbara and Sam Takahashi Hamburger Chamber Music Series Endowment Fund

Jack Lampl Eva and Doug Richman Ruth S. Stern ArtPower  Student Engagement Fund

GUARDIAN ($1,000–2,499)

Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch Janice Steinberg and John Cassidy Marilyn Colby Beverly Freemont Kim Signoret-Paar

CONTRIBUTOR ($500–999)

Janice Alper

Janice and Nelson Byrne

Consulate General of Israel Charles Kantor Marilies Schoelflin

Connie Beardsley Phyllis and Edward Mirsky Sharon Perkowski Felize Levine

SPARK ($250–499)

James and Kathleen Stiven Jess and Meg Mandel Barry and Jennfer Greenberg Mary L. Beebe

Charles Reilly K. Andrew Achterkirchen Paulyne D. Becerra Turea Z. Erwin Samuel and Theresa Buss Natalee C. Ellars Maya Ridinger

YORK SOCIETY

Donors who make provisions for ArtPower in their estate Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch Judith Bachner and Eric Lasley Ruth Stern

Kathryn Sturch

ARTPOWER STAFF DONORS

Carolena Deutsch-Garcia Jordan Peimer Kathryn Sturch

FOUNDATION/CORPORATE SPONSORS

CORPORATE SPONSORS

New England Foundation for the Arts The Parker Foundation Consulate General of Israel Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore

POWERPLAYERS

PowerPlayers are an exceptional group of donors that have made a three year commitment to support ArtPower.

Joyce Axelrod and Joseph Fisch

Joan Bernstein

Marilyn Colby

Martha and Ed Dennis

Phyllis and Daniel Epstein

Elaine Galinson

Bobbie and Jon Gilbert

Renita Greenberg and Jim Alison Eric Lasley and Judith Bachner

Sharon Perkowski

Kim Signoret-Paar Paul and Edith H. Sanchez

Pat Weil and Christopher Weil

A portion of funding for ArtPower is provided by the UC San Diego Student Services Fee Committee.

Donor list and PowerPlayer list reflecting gifts and pledges allocated for September 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

ARTPOWER STAFF

Joanna Christian, Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, Campus Performance and Events Office

Carolena Deutsch-Garcia, Associate Director of Development

Jennifer Mancano, Events & Performing Arts Business Manager

Jordan Peimer, Artistic Director

Colleen Kollar Smith, Executive Director, Campus Performance and Events Office

Kathryn Sturch, Production Manager

Alyssa Villaseñor, Marketing Manager

Student Staff

Marketing and Graphic Design Assistants

Ashley Asadi ‘24

Holden Bailey ‘23

Yumei Feng ‘23

Tiffany Liang ‘23

Rachel Paner ‘24

Hieu Phan ‘25

Events Promotions Assistants

Paloma Diaz ‘24

Rain Dong ‘25

Ishiba Dube ‘26

Kathleen Hoang ‘25

Kellie Huang, ‘25

Kaylie Lam ‘25

Kristy Lee ‘23

Julie Li ‘25

Martica Manuel, ‘26

Alice Nguyen ‘26

Anne Nguyen ‘25

Niko Parker ‘24

Kadie Qi ‘25

Heidi Shin ‘25

Hao Wang ‘24

Angela Wu ‘24 Sasha Zabegalin ‘24

Media Assistants

Diego Pereya ‘26 Kieran Vu ‘25

Jules Yap ‘23

BECOME AN ARTPOWER SUPPORTER

TODAY & ENJOY VALUABLE BENEFITS!

As we move into the new ArtPower 2022–23 live arts season, the generosity of our donors quite literally helps make our performances possible. Our donors also get to enjoy valuable benefits, see more here: bit.ly/artpower-benefits. Make a gift today by easily scanning the QR code.

Thank you for making ArtPower performances possible! All inquiries can be directed to our Associate Director of Development, carolena@ucsd.edu.