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Markus Howell
Markus Howell is a performer, composer, and educator from Deerfield Beach, Florida. As a graduate of Michigan State University, Markus has had the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Christian McBride, Jimmy Cobb, Peter Bernstein, Kenny Barron, and Louis Hayes. Along with the Michigan State Jazz Orchestra, he has made several appearances at the Detroit Jazz Festival and competed in the Next Generation Jazz Festival competition in Monterey, California. He is a Young Arts alumnus and a finalist in the North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz competition.
Markus has performed and recorded with top leaders on their respectful instruments including bassist Rodney Whitaker, trumpeter Etienne Charles, trombonist Michael Dease, guitarist Randy Napoleon, and saxophonist Diego Rivera. As an alumnus of the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency in Washington D.C., Markus has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts. Markus has performed the Star Spangled Banner at the American Airlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat. As an active film composer, Markus’ latest work features him as co-composer for a film called Sorta Late. This film was featured in the 2016 Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. As an educator, Markus is on staff at Michigan State University as a graduate Teaching Assistant in Jazz Saxophone Performance while pursuing his master’s degree in Jazz Studies. With the many blessings and opportunities Markus has experienced thus far, he continues to strive for excellence and reach higher.
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Something Blue: Personal Preference
by David A. Orthmann
Marc Free produced the second edition of Something Blue to encourage “a wider audience of new listeners" to jazz by presenting “a focused program of concise performances to provide maximum enjoyment." These goals are congruent with Free's trust in his artists. The eleven tracks of Personal Preference do not smack of compromise or a nebulous artistic focus. Free has assembled a band of players with ties to the label who boldly stride through the bop/hard bop/post-bop continuum, utilizing elements from ...
read moreNew Faces: New Sounds
by Dan Bilawsky
While established forces typically radiate clout and currency, it's the new faces, beaming with hope and the promise for what's to come, that tend to shine brightest. Posi-Tone Records, not surprisingly, supports that line of thinking. Promoting emerging artists has long been a mission for the label, which prides itself on seeking out and nurturing burgeoning talent, and this aptly named project, launched with one group of individuals on 2018's Straight Forward and carried to tremendous heights with different personnel ...
read moreNew Faces: New Sounds
by David A. Orthmann
What to listen for in a recording curated by a veteran producer that features a group of young, up-and-coming musicians with skillsets rooted in the bop, hard bop and modal continuum? When the styles are familiar, it's best to start with the material. If the tunes routinely sound like they're made of parts lifted from the classic and near classic jazz repertoire, it sets a negative tone for the rest of the record, sometimes even offsetting the strength of the ...
read moreNew Faces: New Sounds
by Kyle Simpler
It's refreshing to see younger artists gaining recognition in jazz circles. The energy and performances of such players often adds a sense of vitality to the music, and Posi-Tone Records has been at the forefront of bringing many of these emerging artists to the mainstream. In 2017, for example, Marc Free, the owner and producer of Posi-Tone, assembled a group of young musicians to showcase on the album New Faces: Straight Forward. This turned out to be a successful venture, ...
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