Bio - Marc Fields

Marc Fields is a veteran of the Ray Charles Orchestra, touring around the world six times, recording an album, and appearing on the “Ray Charles 50 Year Anniversary” television special.  In his CIncinnati hometown, he is better known for graduating in 1975 with honors from CCM, a staff musician working on the Bob Braun show at WLWT-TV and a member of the house band for the legendary Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky.

Even though the trombone is often thought of as the “underdog” instrument of jazz, Marc Fields can identify with its qualities. His chosen instrument seems to demand a higher level of musicianship than those with whom he shares the bandstand. Be that as it may, Marc exemplifies how it can be a great instrument in skilled and loving hands. His quest as a composer is to create jazz oriented music that will produce a spiritually sound atmosphere.  Marc credits his earliest and most important musical influence to his father, jazz disc jockey Bill Fields.  Bill Fields continuously pressed upon his son a fervent passion for jazz and Marc readily absorbed all the knowledge and love of jazz his father bestowed upon him.  During the summer prior to his freshman year in high school, his father enrolled him in a 10-week workshop in St. Louis, Missouri run by one of the most inspired and inspiring jazz composer/arrangers of his time, Oliver Nelson. The workshop featured appearances from such jazz luminaries as Ron Carter, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Clark Terry, Roland Hanna, and Phil Woods. The experience of studying with these musicians cemented Marc’s destiny to become a jazz musician.

Though he played trombone, guitar, and piano, his gift for playing the trombone was made known to him in his freshman high school year, and his love for the instrument grew along with his love for jazz.  Upon graduation, he received a full scholarship to attend the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he studied orchestral trombone, enriching his knowledge of music. After graduating in 1975 with honors from CCM, he landed a position as a staff musician working on the Bob Braun show at WLWT-TV, a Cincinnati based television station.  During this time he also was a member of the house band for the legendary Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky.  In 1975 Marc began establishing his career as a jazz trombonist, and as one of the better freelance musicians in the greater Cincinnati area. He has performed with such artists as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Ray Felder, Fred Hersch, Billy Hart, Kenny Garrett, Ahmad Jamal, Steve Wilson, and Mulgrew Miller. Marc also began performing with many local jazz and orchestral ensembles.  One of those bands was the Cohesion Jazz Ensemble, anchored by Cincinnati jazz veterans, bassist Jim Anderson and drummer Bobby Scott. It was during his tenure with Cohesion that Marc began to flex his composing muscles, being strongly encouraged to introduce his original compositions to the band. His compositions were harmonically and melodically challenging, yet enjoyable for musicians to play. His musical ideas can range from simple, traditional, and straight-ahead to intense, in depth, and complex.

It was a call in 1989 from fellow Cincinnati musician Craig Bailey that ushered in the next life-altering experience for Marc. Bailey was touring with the illustrious Ray Charles and knew of an opening in the Ray Charles Orchestra for a trombonist. He recommended Marc for the job. This led to a six-year stint performing with Ray Charles, touring around the world six times, recording an album, and appearing on the “Ray Charles 50 Year Anniversary” television special. Being associated with someone with as high a musical stature as Ray Charles has reaped benefits for Marc that still prevail today. It also exposed him to an environment of camaraderie with musicians who all had an interest in jazz.  Best of all, being on the road was a constant breeding ground for the exchange of musical ideas.

Upon leaving the road with Ray Charles and returning home to Cincinnati in 1994, Marc landed a position as adjunct professor of jazz trombone and combos at his alma mater, the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he challenges his students to understand the great qualities of the trombone. His message to them is this: maintain a consistent, goal-based work ethic and add a measure of good natured patience. He often notes that trombonists have to achieve a higher level of mastery to play the same musical ideas as their trumpet and saxophone-playing counterparts. However, the decision to play the trombone is one Marc Fields has never regretted, and he thrives on conveying his musical ideas through his instrument and his compositions.

Marc Fields, in addition to his position at CCM, actively performs freelance work in the regional area, and still performs with the Cohesion Jazz Ensemble, Clyde Brown Unlimited and his own jazz quintet.