About this Artist

MARCUS BELGRAVE is Detroit’s internationally recognized jazz trumpet great. He came to promi- nence in the late 50’s, touring and recording with the late great Ray Charles’ Orchestra, at the height of Ray’s hit-making era. Marcus is heard as a trumpet soloist on some of Ray’s most famous “hits”... both albums and singles. He always pays tribute to Ray, who mentored him from the young age of 19. He is the only living member of Ray Charles’ original small band horn section. He was also mentored by the Great Clifford Brown. Clifford’s early influence on the young Belgrave can still be heard in his tone. Belgrave then spent the early 60’s spearheading the modern jazz move- ment in New York working and recording in the bands of such major innovators as Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy and Max Roach. Many of these classic recordings (on Atlantic, Columbia and other major labels) have now been re-issued on CD. Belgrave moved to Detroit in the early 1960’s to join Motown Records as staff trumpeter, (playing on most of the Motown hits).   Marcus has established himself as Detroit’s foremost jazz musician. He was recently awarded the singular title of the official Jazz Master Laureate for the City of Detroit., as well as a fifty thousand dollar Kresge 2010 Eminent Artist award for his 46 years of service teaching the young  musicians of Detroit. His protoge's include Geri Allen (piano), Kenny Garrett (Sax), Regina Carter (violin), Robert Hurst (bass),  Ray Parker Jr. (guitar),  His performances encompass the history of jazz musical styles.... from early New Orleans, to Swing,Bebop and on, to the latest contemporary sounds. Marcus continues to tour and record in the world’s major jazz centers. He was an original member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.   Marcus' eight piece ensemble has performed the music of Louis Armstrong to ovations with Symphonies across America.