Diego Hedez & Marion Mallard Quartet

Diego Hedez, a gifted trumpeter born in Cuba and now based in New York, embodies a dynamic spirit in contemporary jazz and improvised music.

Diego's musical journey includes collaborations with avant-garde icons like William Parker , David Virelles , Francisco Mela and Daniel Carter, and performances at notable venues and festivals globally like The Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Roulette Intermedium, Bric Festival, Forward Festival , Winter Jazz festival among others. His recent projects, including "The Forward Quartet" and collaborations with David Virelles and the Singer’s Grove, showcase his commitment to pushing musical boundaries through free improvisation , traditional Cuban music and sonic exploration.

Marion Sly Mallard is a young and upcoming artist in today’s music scene. She is an upright and electric bassist with many pursuits - performance, composition, touring, recording studio work, band-leading, music production/mixing, teaching, photography, and more. Originally from Decatur, IL, she has experienced many recognitions for her artistry, from being a JEN Sisters in Jazz selectee, to being selected for the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program. Marion moved to Chicago in 2020 to pursue and complete a degree in Jazz Studies at the DePaul University SOM, and since then she has become an important part of the music scene across a multitude of genres. Over the years, she has studied with many world-renowned musicians, such as Jason Moran, Mimi Jones, Marc Cary, Jimmy Greene, Carmen Lundy, Nate Smith, Dana Hall, Marlene Rosenberg, Lenard Simpson, Geof Bradfield, Scott Hesse, Sharel Cassity, Dennis Carroll, Carlos Henriquez, and Clark Sommers. She is currently involved in many ensembles, including those under her own name, as well as playing with world-renowned musicians such as Joel Ross. Marion is passionate in all her pursuits within the arts, and working toward many new collaborations within the Chicago and New York music scenes.