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Mark Levine

Mark began playing jazz as a teenager in Daytona Beach, Florida. Continuing his education in Boston and New York, Mark studied with Hall Overton, Herb Pomeroy and Jaki Byard, before moving to California in 1966.

A key phase in Mark's education was a year spent in Woody Shaw's quartet. "Every night was serious school," says Mark.

Mark spent significant time working with Joe Henderson, Blue Mitchell, David Liebman and Harold Land, composing all the while. Joe recorded two of Mark's tunes on "Canyon Lady," the late tenor giant's only Latin jazz album. Mark returned the favor by playing two of Joe's classic compositions, "Inner Urge," and "A Shade Of Jade," on his 2000 release, "Serengeti."

His interest in Latin jazz led to work with Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Moacir Santos, Francisco Aguabella, Pete Escovedo, and Cal Tjader (including Cal's Grammy- winning Concord Jazz recording "La Onda Va Bien").

Mark has continued to pursue the Latin side of his craft, attending Centro Nacional de Escuela de Arte in Havana, Cuba in 1997.

Twice, Mark has been the recipient of a National Endowment For The Arts Grants (1975 and 1977) and was awarded a "Jammie" as Best Bay Area Jazz trombonist, 1983-1984 (no, he no longer plays trombone, but he has taken up the gimbri, a Moroccan 3-stringed lute).

Awards

Grammy Nominee 2003 Grammy Winner (w Cal Tjader) 1981 Latin Grammy Nominee 2010

Gear

acoustic piano


Tags

24
Reassessing

For Those Who Chant

Read "For Those Who Chant" reviewed by Peter J. Hoetjes


Luis Gasca was one of the hottest trumpet players in California during the 1970s, recording a handful of albums fueled by the drugs, the culture, and the excitement of that time and place. Though they all featured large ensembles, only one of them allowed some of the era's most legendary musicians to blur the lines separating jazz, latin, and rock and roll. “Everyone should have two favorite cities; their own and San Francisco," claimed Gasca. It was there, ...

340
Album Review

Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge: Off & On The Music of Moacir Santos

Read "Off & On The Music of Moacir Santos" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


If a record could be like a comet streaking across the musical stratosphere, then Mark Levine's Off & On: The Music of Moacir Santos would be just that. Moreover, in personifying this album like comets are given names, this one would be named after comet Kohoutek because it is a rare gem of a record.It's one of the few occasions in recent times that Moacir Santos, the rarer of two modern Brazilian masters, is being honored. Brazilian music ...

266
Album Review

Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge: Isla

Read "Isla" reviewed by Forrest Dylan Bryant


Pianist/educator Mark Levine is a master of straight-ahead Latin jazz. The members of his Latin Tinge quartet all share his orientation towards modern bop, enhanced by a remarkable ability to lay down a pretty mean clave beat. On Isla , the group tackles compositions by Cedar Walton and Kenny Garrett as well as standards of both the Latin and popular songbook variety.On Garrett's “Ain't Nothing But the Blues," the tempo is relaxed and the mood keeps cool. Levine's ...

255
Album Review

Mark Levine & The Latin Tinge: Serengeti

Read "Serengeti" reviewed by Jim Josselyn


The rhythms of Latin music are some of the most challenging in jazz. To play this music convincingly, mastery of its syncopation, odd groupings, accents, grooves and poly-rhythms are absolutely required, and this is no easy task. On Serengeti, Mark Levine and the Latin Tinge prove not only are they masters of the groove, but tasteful, soulful and inspired players as well.“Cha Cha Cha Para Mi Alma," a charmingly simple number, starts this recording in a relaxed, swinging ...

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164

Award / Grant

Letters to Naras: Mark Levine Returns His Grammy Nominations

Letters to Naras: Mark Levine Returns His Grammy Nominations

Source: The Latin Jazz Corner by Chip Boaz

On Wednesday April 6th, The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences announced a “restructuring" of The Grammy Awards, a move that included the elimination of the Latin Jazz Grammy. This unfortunate decision undermines the integrity of Latin Jazz and disregards its importance as a major piece of the cultural landscape in the United States. I would encourage all LJC readers to protest this decision and demand that NARAS reinstate the Latin Jazz Grammy immediately—you can do this by sending ...

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Recording

New Mark Levine CD, Due 9/15, Features the Music of Moacir Santos

New Mark Levine CD, Due 9/15, Features the Music of Moacir Santos

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

Grammy-nominated pianist Mark Levine was introduced to the music of Moacir Santos in the late 1960s, when he had the good fortune to work with the Brazilian composer. Now Levine is preparing to release a tribute album in Santos’s memory on his own Left Coast Clave label. The new CD, Off & On: The Music of Moacir Santos, made with Levine’s Afro-Caribbean ensemble The Latin Tinge, is scheduled for release on September 15. “This is something I’ve wanted to do ...

"Mark Levine is a wellspring of knowledge on modern jazz piano playing... his brilliant playing is proof that he knows what he's talking about." — Mulgrew Miller

"The preeminent Latin jazz quartet found north of Havana." — Luis Tamargo (Latin Beat)

"...absolutely incredible and inspired. "the best record I've heard in a long time." — Donald Brown

"Mark's new CD is a CLASSIC. — Ray Vega

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Off & On The Music of...

Left Coast Clave Records
2010

buy

Isla

Left Coast Clave Records
2003

buy

Serengeti

Self Produced
2001

buy

For Those Who Chant

Blue Thumb Records
1972

buy

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