Blake "Blue" Marquez has been playing string
and electric bass professionally since age 13. With his signature blue carbon fiber standup
bass he has entertained audiences working for and with such notables as
Wynton Marsalis, Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band, Kim Nazarian of
the New York Voices, Barbara Knight and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra,
Bobby Watson, Terrence Blanchard with Dennis Mackrel, T.K. Blue, and
for Duke Ellington's nephew and former Drifter, Ron "Ellington" Shy.
On a full talent-based tuition scholarship to Boston's Berklee College of Music, he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Bass 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, the 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.
Blake has just returned from a 3-month gig at the world's most expensive and only 7-star hotel, the Burj al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Before that he completed
bass performances for 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 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 restaurant in the
city including Nighttown, Fat Fish Blue, and Bop Stop.
Blake also has extensive Broadway show and studio experience.
Contact info:Blakelymarquez@hotmail.com