Chicago Trumpeter Marques Carroll Bets On Himself Amidst Global Uncertainty
Marques Carroll has been a steady presence on the Chicago scene for decades. But, like so many others, the pandemic made him take stock of his career. For nearly 25 years, the St. Louis native built a reputation as a reliable sideman, lending his trumpet sound to the Count Basie Orchestra, the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective, and even touring acts like The Temptations and Aretha Franklin. However, the enforced pause of 2020 brought a stark realization: despite his extensive resume, he had never released a record under his own name.
The pandemic isolation, compounded by social unrest following the murder of George Floyd, pushed Carroll to a crossroads. He made the precarious decision to leave his stable position as a music educator at the Chicago Jesuit Academy to focus entirely on his own artistry. This was a significant gamble in an industry already reeling from shutdowns, where the path from sideman to bandleader is fraught with financial instability and audience skepticism. The jazz market remains undeniably niche, and breaking out as a solo artist in a city saturated with talent like Chicago requires more than just technical proficiency.
Betting on himself, Carroll launched his own label, JMarq Records, and released his debut album, The Ancestors’ Call, in April 2021. The project was not merely a collection of standards but a sonic exploration of the African diaspora and a tribute to his heritage, heavily influenced by his grandfather who worked with jazz legend Clark Terry. Critics noted the album’s narrative depth, which weaves together swing, hip-hop, and spoken word elements, moving beyond the safe territory of traditional bop.
His risk appears to have paid dividends. Following his debut, Carroll released a second album, Foundations, and secured placements for his tracks “Larry Sings” and “Brother Payton BAM” on the hit Hulu series The Bear. Most recently, he embarked on an ambitious project to record live performances at Chicago’s most iconic jazz venues—including Andy’s Jazz Club and Winter’s Jazz Club—to honor the scene that raised him. While the shift from supporting player to frontman is rarely seamless, Carroll’s late-career pivot demonstrates that even in a volatile musical landscape, the transition is possible with calculated risk and a clear artistic vision.
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