A bold performer, soulful composer & passionate educator, Trumpeter Marques Carroll is dedicated to preserving the authentic culture of Jazz and spreading his holistic love of music around the world. He has been drawing national attention since 1996, having worked & shared the stage with today’s most celebrated artists & ensembles including Carmen Bradford, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Etienne Charles, Christian McBride, Jon Faddis, Meshell Ndegeocello, Randy Weston, Jimmy Heath, Jeff Hamilton, Randy Brecker, Nicholas Payton, Tom Harrell, Bob Brookmeyer, Bobby Watson, the Count Basie Orchestra, The Temptations, Chicago Jazz Ensemble, The O’Jays, The Four Tops, May Wilson & Aretha Franklin. Born into a musical family in St. Louis, Marques fell in love with the trumpet when he was only 8 years old. His grandfather worked with Jazz legend Clark Terry, who became an influence on him and his musical growth. Marques also developed a lifelong friendship with Wynton Marsalis who has become one of his greatest supporters. Marques studied at DePaul University where he earned his Bachelor’s & Master’s Degrees in Jazz Studies Performance. A storyteller at heart, he uses his experience and mastery of multi-genre vocabulary to break down barriers between genres writing evocative music that speaks directly to the soul. Rooted in the tradition of Black American Music (BAM), Marques is consciously challenging norms of genres such as Blues, Funk, Soul, Neo-Soul, & Hip-Hop, expanding and pushing into new places of expression & mastery. Marques Carroll captures and shares this journey with his audiences through his own compositions, The Ancestors’ Call and most recently released album, Foundations. The Ancestors’ Call, a GRAMMY© considered album for 2021’s Best Jazz Album, is a soulful exploration of culture & consciousness that reflects upon the African Diaspora through a balance and attention to detail encouraging its audience to feel, reflect, & celebrate. The sequel to the Ancestors’ Call, Foundations, is a tribute album that pays respect to his mentors & supporters from all walks of life including artists, teachers, family & friends. Marques is co-founder of JMarq Records and is the leader of his self-titled quintet featured in both of his albums, The Ancestor’s Call and Foundations released by JMarq Records.
I had the pleasure of spending a little time with Marques ahead of two dates upcoming in Madison. Friday, July 18th at North Street Cabaret and aGain on August 13th as part of Jazz At Five. We give props to the folks that’ll be playing with him as part of the Quinet for these events (including our pal, Pawan Benjamin), what type of scene this music, these people will attempt to create as a play to gather and be. We dive head first into the new live album(s) he is going to be dropping soon. He documents the notorious Jazz clubs in Chicago that helped form and develop the scene there, places he has adopted as a home and the people that helped make them grow and survive. It’s a thank you card to that scene. I had to give a shout out to a tune that really helps me turn any boxed in corners – check out which track and will it be on the new albums? We also talk about his friend, mentor and colleague, (friend of this program, Mr. Wynton Marsalis) and get some stories about the person he is and what things have rubbed off on Marques. It is always soothing to talk it up with someone who inspires you, and they just add to that feeling with their words and energy.
