By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

Marquis Hill, a Windy City native, recently won the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition. Chicago’s jazz scene is what shaped Hill to be the fine musician that he is today. Hill’s early studies came from the Ravinia Jazz Scholar Program. He did his undergraduate work at Northern Illinois University with the recently retired Ron Carter (another IC Jazz Fest alum), and received his graduate degree from DePaul University.

The Marquis Hill Blacktet takes its name the band of one of Marquis’s friends, who had a group called The Bluestet. Marquis Hill’s latest album, “The Way We Play,” will be released June 24, 2016. Hill’s latest album displays a variety of fresh, bop-influenced ideas. This straight-ahead jazz will captivate you with a variety of clever syncopations and driving rhythms. Listen to KCCK’s Jazz Festival Channel to get an exclusive listen to his new album! Marquis Hill Blacktet will be performing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 2, at 5 p.m. on the Main Stage.