Markus Rutz plays trumpet with bluesy, soulful style and a tone that has been called gorgeous.
The last few years have been years of achievement in mid-career activities of performances and recording with local and national honors. In autumn of 2019, the album Blueprints Figure One: Frameworks was released which had tracks that appears on a story from NPR’s Morning Edition. The album was in consideration for a Grammy nomination last year.
The second volume of music from the project was released in September 2020 as Blueprints Figure Two: New Designs. Album recognition and reviews were accompanied by several radio interviews and global radio features notably in France and Germany.
In December 2021 a live album was released and features an exciting in-person performance side of Markus with a quintet.
The most recent album Storybook is a 2023 release from Chicago’s new JMARQ Records. The work is a concept album that is a postcard from the musician as a personal contribution to the larger story we are all in at this point in time.
This June performance features a band of stellar musicians.
In the horn section is alto saxophonist Christopher McBride originally from Chicago who joins us on this night in Brooklyn bringing fire and beauty.
Darwin Noguera blowing in and or New York from Chicago is the pianist and collaborator on the scene. Darwin is a sought out musician who has sculpted a formidable name in the world of Latin and Jazz.
Rounding out the rhythm section are two formidable artists on bass and drums; Neal “Sugar” Caine and David Berger based in New York. Neal has a long playing history in the idiom with work as in the Ellis Marsalis Trio, Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, Delfeayo Marsalis and a long performing association Harry Connick, Jr.
Versatile and swinging drummer David Berger has played in an eclectic blend of music from instrumental groups with vocalists stylistically crossing over genres seamlessly while adding sought after groove.
Markus performs, composes and teaches music from his home base in Chicago, Illinois.