I’m thrilled to see my friend Marquis Hill win the Thelonious Monk trumpet competition. He is not only a fantastic musician, but also a truly humble and beautiful human being. I can’t imagine this happening to a more deserving person- congrats Marquis! I’m fortunate to work with Marquis in various contexts, including Matt Ulery’s Loom. Check out Matt’s record on Greenleaf here: http://www.greenleafmusic.com/wakeanecho/

Marquis is also part of my latest  quintet along with Dana Hall, Clark Sommers and Joel Adams.  Here’s a preview (rough mix) of our forthcoming CD, Our Roots,  that features Marquis on a tune of mine, “Meshell,” dedicated to the great Meshell Ndegeocello. Special thanks to Chad McCullough for that mute. Look for the CD in 2015!