The Jazz Gallery Presents: Marquis Hill Blacktet

Trumpeter Marquis Hill has had an exciting past 12 months. He's moved to New York from Chicago, released a new album Modern Flows (Skiptone), won the Thelonious Monk competition, and was an artist-in-residence at the 18th Street Arts Center in Los Angeles. Back in February, Hill made his Jazz Gallery debut, playing alongside Roy Hargrove as part of our 20th anniversary concert series. This Thursday, June 11th, Hill returns to the Gallery with his tight working band—the Blacktet.While the group has a standard instrumentation and deep roots in the Chicago jazz tradition, they are much more than a straight-up post-bop unit. Hill's melodies are angular and unpredictable, while the rhythm section of vibraphonist Justin Thomas, bassist Joshua Ramos, and drummer Makaya McCraven lay down a slippery and hypnotic groove that swings like bop and flows like hip-hop. With a unified group sound honed through regular gigs around Chicago and farther afield, the Blacktet is poised to make a big splash at The Jazz Gallery.The Marquis Hill Blacktet plays The Jazz Gallery on Thursday, June 11th, 2015. The group features Mr. Hill on trumpet, Christopher McBride on alto sax, Justin Thomas on vibraphone, Joshua Ramos on bass, and Makaya McCraven on drums. Sets are at 8 and 10 p.m. $15 general admission ($10 for members) for the first set, $10 general admission ($12 for members) for the second. Purchase tickets here.