by Mike Lisching
A Living Conversation in Brass: Marquis Hill’s Signatures in Brass at the Jazz Showcase Chicago
Jazz Showcase in Chicago rang in 2026 with a four-night residency of Marquis Hill’s Signatures in Brass, a rotating ensemble that this year showcased a blend of precision, groove, and swagger.
On January 3, they brought a performance that balanced tight ensemble work with moments of bold individual expression. Anchored by deep rhythmic drive and sharp horn lines, the group moved effortlessly between soulful quiet moments and punchy, high-energy passages that kept the room locked in.
Signatures in Brass grew out of Hill’s long-standing interest in highlighting distinct trumpet voices within a collective setting. The project was conceived as a rotating summit, bringing together leading brass artists to explore contrast, conversation, and shared language, rather than performing as a fixed band. “Flexibility in/Dynamic use of” styles and genres was also envisioned, including modern jazz, soul, and hip-hop-influenced traditions.
Over time, the rotating ensembles have appeared in festival and special-event contexts, evolving with each lineup while maintaining their founding concept: celebrating individuality within ensemble playing. The residency format at the Jazz Showcase reflects that philosophy, allowing the music to stretch, deepen, and change night to night – an ongoing dialogue shaped by the players, the room, and the city itself rather than a fixed production.
This 25/26 residency at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago brought together trumpeters Marquis Hill, Russel Gunn, Brandon Woody, and Theo Croker, supported by Mike King (piano), Junius Paul (bass) and Jonathan Pinson (drums). The brass ensemble represents trumpeters spanning the 70s thru 90s who spent their year playing sessions in their respective resident venues, and touring as band leaders at a variety of shows and festivals. (Montreal, Monterey)
The show highlighted the ensemble’s strength as both a collective and as soloists, with dynamic shifts that showcased texture, space, and interplay as much as volume and power. It was the kind of performance that felt deeply rooted in jazz tradition, yet very much alive in the present – commanding, joyful, and impossible to ignore.
The Jazz Showcase embodies a warm listening room environment, and the on-stage couch makes it feel like you have a window into the band’s living room. Band members jumped up and down from the couch on the side of the stage throughout the night. Playing with no real setlist, the band called standards on stage as the mood progressed.
But on a night of playing standards, there was nothing standard in this performance. Some songs featured one or two members, and others brought the force of the entire ensemble, highlighting the different musical voices for the same instrument. Shouts of joy and approval from onstage and the crowd permeated the air, as well as the occasional “f***” from band members as they maybe played an unintentional note.
Talking with Marquis after the first set, I asked if there was anything different about Saturday night compared to other nights of the residency and he answered simply. “The energy”.
In the second set, the band picked up right where they left off, starting with “Mr PC”, and energy continued to escalate from there. Amid the intensity of the music, it was hard not to notice how often band members had their eyes closed, appreciating the moments and music being created by this onstage family.
And in a night of incredible moments, this is what this photographer took away was a need to remember to take time to set the camera down. Find those moments to close my eyes, feel the energy of the community sharing this moment with me, and really listen.
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