Today it’s not strictly classical on Introductions: 18-year-old Marco Villela of Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood has been a longtime fixture of the Grammy-nominated band Mariachi Herencia de México. He’s appeared on Introductions multiple times with the group as a trumpeter, singer, spokesman and arranger, including in September 2017 and June 2020. This weekend we get to feature him in his own right as a trumpeter, trilingual singer, pianist, and composer.
Marco performs a mixture of classical, jazz and Latin styles in this recital from Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston, joined by Introductions producer Robbie Ellis on piano.
Playlist
Gerald Marks & Seymour Simons: All of Me *
Jean-Baptiste Arban: Characteristic Etude No. 8 in C minor
Alberto Cervantes & Rubén Fuentes: Cien años
Consuelo Velázquez: Bésame mucho
Marco Villela: All I Can Do is Dream
Antônio Carlos Jobim & Newton Mendonça: Desafinado *
Antônio Carlos Jobim & Vinícius de Moraes: Garota da Ipanema *
Errol Garner & Johnny Burke: Misty *
Tadd Dameron: Lady Bird *
Marco Villela, trumpet/voice/piano
* with Robbie Ellis, piano