Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Marquis Hill

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfcVHLmtGvI

Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Phil Hey

By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

Phil Hey, a drummer from New York, currently teaches drum set at St. Olaf College and resides in Minnesota. He was privately instructed by Edward Blackwell while he attended the University of Minnesota. Hey has worked with many professionals including Benny Carter, Charlie Byrd, and Kenny Barron to name only a few. Hey toured with Dewey Redman for over twenty years. Phil Hey has been named “Jazz Musician of the Year, 2006” by the Twin Cities “City Pages.” He can be heard playing in many artist’s recordings as well as his own band’s the Phil Hey Quartet in 2005. The Phil Hey Quartet released an album in 2005, “Subduction: Live at the Artist’s Quarter.” This group has chemistry that collaborates in a way that provokes a unique sound. “Subduction: Live at the Artist’s Quarter,” showcases hard-bop jazz with tasteful yet hard swinging rhythms. The Phil Hey Quartet will be playing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Saturday, July 2, at 3 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– North Corridor Jazz All-Stars

By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

The North Corridor All-Star Big Band, a newer addition to the festival, will be joining the lineup again this year. This group is similar to a group the IC jazz festival is very familiar with, the United Jazz Ensemble. The group is comprised of some of the most skilled high school jazz musicians from the North end of the Creative Corridor, Cedar Rapids to Cedar Falls. Coe College music professor Steve Shanley directs this band as they perform for the fifth time at the Iowa City Jazz Festival. This is a group of talented students you truly will not want to miss, especially if you enjoy swinging! The North Corridor Jazz All Stars take the stage Saturday, July 2, at 1 p.m.

Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Allison Miller

By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

Allison Miller is highly regarded in the NYC jazz hub as a drummer, composer, and teacher. She is known for backing an array of artists like Ani DiFranco, Brandi Carlile, Natalie Merchant, and others. Recently, she has been a guest artist playing with NBC’s Late Night Seth Meyers house band, 8G. Miller knows how to stay busy, but she still finds the time to play with her own band Boom Tic Boom.

Allison Miller has received “Rising Star Drummer” and “Top 20 Jazz Drummers” in Downbeat Magazine’s acclaimed Critics Poll. Boom Tic Boom, Miller’s rising band, is a 2014 recipient of Chamber Music America’s “Presenter Consortium for Jazz Grant.” Boom Tic Boom has released two albums, their first being in 2013, “No Morphine No Lilies.” This group’s second album was released just last month, “Otis Was a Polar Bear.” The new album has myriads of complex thoughts throughout the album with a definite adventurous, introspective vibe. Miller plays with such passion and joy you can’t help but enjoy the music she is producing. Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom will be playing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Friday, July 1, at 9 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– Akiko Tsuruga

By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Akiko Tsuruga attended the Osaka College of Music. While attending Osaka, Tsuruga had the privilege to play with talented jazz musicians such as Roy Hargrove, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Grady Tate. Grady Tate acted as a mentor and had the strongest influence on her professional career including her move to the U.S. Along with Tate, Dr. Lonnie Smith is one of Tsurga’s greatest mentors and biggest influences. Immediately after graduating she made her way to the New York jazz scene in 2001.

Akiko has released eight albums in both Japan and the U.S. Her first two U.S. releases, “Sweet and Funky” and “Oriental Express” ranked among the top twenty on the national jazz radio charts. Her newest album, “Commencement,” was released in 2014 and ranked fourth in the Jazz Week Chart. “Commencement,” ties old and new jazz concepts together. Inventive ideas and original compositions are accompanied by classic jazz standards with lively arrangements. Akiko Tsuruga plays the Hammond B-3 Organ with emotion and soul, making it hard to believe she isn’t a Chicago native. The Akiko Tsurugua Trio featuring Jeff Hamilton and Graham Dechter will be playing at the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Friday, July 1, at 7 p.m. on the Main Stage.

Iowa City Jazz Fest Profile– United Jazz Ensemble

By Laura Eckles, KCCK Programming Intern

This local group, directed by Rich Medd (West High Director) and Ryan Arp (City High Director), brings students together from Iowa City West High School and Iowa City High School. For the past twenty years, the United Jazz Ensemble has been involved in the Iowa City Jazz Festival’s education outreach. The student involvement helps to maintain musical chops, as well as strengthen them over the summer. The group name, United Jazz Ensemble, perfectly depicts the group and its success in building a positive relationship between the two schools. The passion these students have for jazz is illustrated in their annual swinging performance. This group will be kicking off the Iowa City Jazz Festival on Friday, July at 5 p.m. on the Main Stage.

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