Hannah Marks is stepping into a bigger, bolder version of herself, and doing it with the kind of conviction that makes you lean in. With her sophomore album Feed The Fire, the New York City-based bassist and composer delivers a statement of intent: fearless, exploratory, and alive with the restless energy of a musician who isn’t interested in staying inside the lines.
Built around her risk-taking acoustic jazz quartet — Nathan Reising on alto saxophone, Lex Korten on piano, and Steven Crammer on drums — Feed The Fire moves with a thrilling sense of freedom, delightfully blending modern jazz language with straight-ahead swing and avant-garde edge. It’s a record that doesn’t choose one tradition over another; it honours the full spectrum of jazz by letting it all coexist: groove and abstraction, structure and open air, fire and stillness.
Produced by acclaimed pianist and bandleader Jason Moran, the album also marks a significant creative milestone in Marks’ journey. The compositions were written after she moved to New York City in 2019 — a relocation encouraged by Moran — and the city’s pulse is embedded in the music’s DNA. You can hear it in the odd meters that feel like quick turns on crowded sidewalks, in the raucous swing that mirrors the constant motion of the streets, and in the deep grooves that suggest the city’s late-night heartbeat. And then, just when you think the album will keep sprinting, it opens into moments of quiet: free, ethereal passages that feel like breath stolen in a park, a pause between trains, a private thought in public space.
For Marks, Feed The Fire is more than a collection of new compositions — it’s a personal culmination. “Feed the Fire is a culmination of many meaningful musical experiences I’ve had over the past decade,” she explains, “and a representation of pushing and dedicating myself as an artist to find new musical colors, shades and directions within this music that I love and revere.” That dedication is audible throughout: in the way the quartet listens, in the way they stretch time, and in the trust that allows experimentation to feel not chaotic, but intentional.
Recorded at Bunker Studio in Brooklyn on January 9 and 10, 2025, the project captures the immediacy of a band that isn’t performing “at” the listener, but inviting them into the room — into the risk, the play, and the joy of discovery. The single is out now, offering an early glimpse into the album’s spirit, while the full release arrives June 12, 2026, on Endectomorph Music.
In “Feed The Fire,” Hannah Marks not only demonstrates her growth but also asserts her presence. She showcases her skills as a bassist and her abilities as a visionary composer, creating a sound that embodies the city that influenced her and the artistic drive that propels her forward.
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Image by Rachel Rodgers, courtesy of Red Cat Publicity
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