Born 10 1/2 months apart, Brent and Blake Marquez have been performing professionally together since their early teens. On stage, their ability to lock up and set up a groove has been honed and developed to a high level which grounds and propels any band. Whether driving a Big Band, rocking the house, or groovin' smooth jazz, the Marquez Brothers were bred to deliver. They attended Cuyahoga Community College on full talent scholarships in Cleveland, Ohio, and received full talent tuition scholarships to Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, graduating together in 2005 with degrees in Performance. Blake switches between acoustic standup and electric bass while Brent is on drumset and also plays orchestral percussion. These brothers have been "the" on call rhythm section for numerous bands while in Cleveland and now in Boston and have been performing with Leroy Anderson's grandson, Anders Vercelli, and are on his debut album, The Way You Look Tonight and his latest cd Up Jumped Spring. Brent is currently the drummer for the Glenn Miller Orchestra touring the U.S., Canada, and Japan and Blake just returned from a 3-month gig at the world's most luxurious 7-star hotel in Dubai. Their work at the Encore Lounge in Boston with Steve Heck shows their ability to read and perform as studio musicians ad hoc for Boston's best singers who show up on Monday nights with or without music. Whether alone or together, these brothers deliver.
Influences
For BLAKE:
Ray Brown,
Stu Hamm,
Billy Sheehan,
Jaco,
Milt Hinton.
For BRENT:
Steve Gadd,
Jo Jones,
Philly Jo Jones,
Bill Bruford,
Terry Bozzio,
Tony Williams,
Chris Frazier.
Reviews for Blake while performing with Samantha Sidley (American Idol 7 semi-finalist) in New York after the band won the Algonquin Oak Room's First Annual Young Singers' Competition: (1) "BLAKE MARQUEZ on bass is a find. . ." the Siegels, (2) "BLAKE MARQUEZ excellent on bass. . ." Wolf Entertainment Guide, (3) ". . .an unusually accomplished trio. . ." (the band) Village Voice. Blake "Blue" Marquez has been playing string and electric bass professionally since age 13. With his signature blue carbon fiber bass he has entertained audiences worldwide working for and with such notables as Wynton Marsalis, Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band, Kim Nazarian and the New York Voices, Barbara Knight and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Watson, Terrence Blanchard and Dennis Mackrel, T.K. Blue, and for Duke Ellington's nephew and former Drifter, Ron "Ellington" Shy. On a full talent scholarship to Boston's Berklee College of Music, he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Performance and is the bass artist in residence with the vocal labs at the college. While at Berklee, he has worked professionally for songwriter Henry Gaffney, sax players Joe Lovano and Bill Pierce, keyboardists Allain Mallet and Steve Heck and with Maggie Scott, Jeff Ramsey, Armsted Christian, Dave Scott, Karen Carr, and Stan Strickland. As a freelancer he has played all Boston's top hotels, including the Sheraton, Westin, Ritz-Carlton, Lenox, Hilton, Four Seasons, Top of the Hub, Fairmont, Boston Harbor, the Seaport, and every Monday night at the Encore Lounge with Berklee Professor and pianist Steve Heck. He has worked with Anders Vercelli, composer Leroy Anderson's grandson, in New England's most famous hotels, private clubs, and residences and is the bassist on Anders' CD The Way You Look Tonight and on his second CD Up Jumped Spring. Blake has just returned from a 3-month gig at the world's most luxurious and only 7-star hotel in Dubai. Before that he completed bass performances at the Birmingham Jazz Fest in England, the British Jazz Awards, and the Central Illinois Jazz Fest with prodigy violinist Aaron Weinstein. He has performed at the Monterey Jazz Fest and at Boston Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops First Annual Jazz Fest. With Samantha Sidley, DownBeat Magazine's Young Jazz Performer of the Year and winner of the 2006 First Annual Oak Room Competition in New York City and now an American Idol 7 semi-finalist, he was the bassist for the band which won a two-week appearance at the famed Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room. He also is the bassist on Ms. Sidley's California studio recordings. Blake opened with Cuyahoga Community College's High School Jazz Allstars for Diana Krall and Gregory Hines at Cleveland's State Theater. He played regularly with Cleveland's top band leader, saxophonist, Ernie Krivda, and was the bassist for the house band at the best known night club, Pickwick & Frolic, with appearances at just about every jazz restuaurant in the city including Nighttown, Fat Fish Blue, and Bop Stop. Blake has extensive Broadway show and studio experience.
