馬奇斯.希爾 / 自我作風 (CD)

爵士樂新近的年輕藝人出現越來越多跨音樂領域的演奏者，沒有設限、盡情發揮，尋找音樂演繹的各種可能，並為爵士樂的21世紀留下獨有的新紀錄。小號手馬奇斯•希爾成名於近三年，同時也創下一個新紀錄。從2012年國際小號公會爵士即興首獎、2013年國際Carmine Caruso爵士小號獨奏冠軍到2014年塞隆尼斯爵士大賽首獎得主，連續三年獨得三座首獎，也是項爵士樂的歷史紀錄。                             

2016年最新專輯『自我作風』，是個人第五張專輯。專輯一開始用說唱式的方法，簡短逐次介紹錄音演奏的樂手，就像是音樂會的開場一般，聽音樂時就直接了然。『The Way We Play / Minority』綜合小號前輩Gigi Gryce的作品加上自己的創作，利用和弦對位奏出新的節奏風格，然而無意間聽到一段嘻哈式演唱，竟然一點也不感到衝突。類似的作風在『Fly Little Bird Fly』當中更純熟運用這個功能，從拉丁轉到嘻哈，再變成爵士樂主流演奏。隱約呼應出巧妙的編曲能力。『My Foolish Heart』則邀請女歌手Megan McNeal，展現美妙的爵士抒情風格。另外重新詮釋經典作品『Maiden Voyage』與『Straight, No Chaser』，更有獨到的說服力，讓樂迷不得不驚喜。也證明了馬奇斯•希爾在演奏與編曲兩方面的超高成就。

Rising star Marquis Hill is a noteworthy 29 year old trumpeter, composer and bandleader.  In 2012 he won the International Trumpet Guild's Jazz Improvisation Competition.  The following year the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition and in 2014, the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.  That final victory was the one that secured a recording contract with Concord.  On The Way We Play, Hill fronts his regular ensemble of four years, the Blacktet, which consists of alto saxophonist Christopher McBride, vibraphonist Justin Thomas, drummer Makaya McCraven, and bassist Joshua Ramos.

Instead of including entirely original material as he did on his last three independent albums, The Way We Play showcases Marquis' twist on compositions by Horace Silver, Donald Bird, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk and others.  "I want to pay homage to some of my favorite jazz standards and American songbook classics,"  Hill says. "These are some of the songs that I came up playing in various jam sessions; these songs really taught me how to play jazz.".