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Mark Egan

Over the past 30 years, Mark Egan’s ability to groove, perfectly complement the music in any situation and solo expressively has made him one of the most in-demand bass players on the international music scene. While racking up credits with the likes of the Pat Metheny Group, saxophonists Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Stan Getz, Sonny Fortune and Bill Evans, vocalist Michael Franks, guitarists Pat Martino, Larry Coryell, John Mcglaughlin, Alex De Grassi, John Abercrombie, Chuck Loeb and Vic Juris, the Duran Duran off-shoot group Arcadia, the Gil Evans Orchestra as well as pop stars Sting, Joan Osborne, Sophie B. Hawkins Marc Cohn and Roger Daltry. Egan also went about documenting his singular fretless bass guitar voice in a series of recordings as a leader beginning with his 1985 bass manifesto, Mosaic.

Following on the heels of 2010’s Truth Be Told (his quartet recording with saxophonist Bill Evans, keyboardist Mitch Forman and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta) and 2013’s trio offering Unit 1 (with guitarist John Hart and drummer Karl Latham), Egan reconnects with his Pat Metheny Group/Elements bandmate, drummer Danny Gottlieb, and keyboardist Forman for an invigorating program that highlights the bassist’s signature singing fretless 5-string tones in both funk and impressionistic settings. The Twentieth album on his own Wavetone label, About Now is a stunning trio outing that has Forman alternating between piano and Fender Rhodes and the telepathic rhythm tandem of Egan and Gottlieb holding down the fort while also contributing potent solos and highly interactive playing throughout.

“I wanted to do an intimate trio project that used both electric and acoustic piano with both groove and open playing that would feature the dynamic interplay between us”, says Egan in describing the highly interactive nature of this trio project. “So there’s a few open and impressionistic compositions, and others that are open groove tunes that allow us all to really experiment. This recording features my fretless playing in an intimate trio setting in a different way than any of my other recordings.” The title track, which has Gottlieb underscoring on brushes and features the trio playing at an interactive dynamic while Egan sings away on the 5-string fretless.

“On this album I wanted to feature the sound of the 5-string fretless Pedulla bass. On some of the melodies I also overdubbed with the 8-string fretless, as on ‘Sailing’, using harmonics on my double-neck bass. It’s been a while since I’ve recorded with the double-neck and it felt great to be playing it again.”

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Radio & Podcasts

New releases from 2024 bassist Mark Egan, Julian Lage, and David Aubaile

Read "New releases from 2024 bassist Mark Egan, Julian Lage, and David Aubaile" reviewed by Len Davis


New releases from 2024 including bassist Mark Egan from Crosscurrents , Julian Lage, from Speak To Me and from Canada multi-instrumentalist David Aubaile with Trafiquants. The new single from drummer Ollie Usiskin Improv In Three. From the Netherlands guitarist Elewoot de Raad, from Ukraine pianist Ruslan Siorota, and from Italy the Lo Greco Brothers from Stand Up And Dance. Brazilian drummer Ramon Montagner and Japanese band Trix from Parade. Playlist Mark Egan “Pocket Call" from Crosscurrents (Wavetone) 00:00 ...

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Album Review

Luiz Millan: Brazilian Match

Read "Brazilian Match" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Brazilian Match is a tour-de-force of classic and contemporary Brazilian music written by and featuring singer-songwriter Luiz Millan. Millan's fifth album is a leader is his first for Jazz Station Records and Brazilian jazz impresario Arnaldo DeSouteiro, whose storied history includes working with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Eumir Deodato, Dom Um Romão, João Donato, and other legends, and who called Millan “a composer's composer." “A great melodist who also happens to be a great poet, a fabulous storyteller; a ...

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Album Review

Linley Hamilton: Ginger's Hollow

Read "Ginger's Hollow" reviewed by Ian Patterson


The follow-up to trumpeter Linley Hamilton's For The Record (Teddy D Records, 2020) has taken over three years to materialize, but when you consider what transpired globally in that time, just the act of picking up where he left off is something of a victory in itself. Talk about the difficult second album... Hamilton's trans-Atlantic quartet has its roots in the annual summer school/festival Sligo Jazz Project, where Hamilton, drummer Adam Nussbaum and bassist Mark Egan have all taught. The ...

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Liner Notes

Dino Betti van der Noot: A Chance For A Dance

Read "Dino Betti van der Noot: A Chance For A Dance" reviewed by Neil Tesser


"I love the rhythm—one of the reasons I love jazz is the rhythm—but I have spent some years to free myself from the rhythm." Dino Betti van der Noot sits over breakfast rolls at the Rosetta Hotel in Perugia, Italy. “I experimented with different time signatures and finally found out that the simplest ones are perfect, as long as you make use of them as, oh, railways, rail tracks." In other words, the time-feel must be a guide, a phisical, ...

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Album Review

Steve Shapiro: Plan To Be Spontaneous

Read "Plan To Be Spontaneous" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


With mallets at the fore, a solid set of originals on the program and a strong cast in the mix, vibraphonist Steve Shapiro's musical voice and vision is clear-- and really something to hear--across this seven-song set. Working under the banner of a perfectly paradoxical title, he makes his mark from a number of angles--those of soloist, harmonist, composer and bandleader--and gives his bandmates their due. Sophisticated jazz-pop sets the scene as Shapiro shares the spotlight with ...

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Album Review

Reza Khan: Imaginary Road

Read "Imaginary Road" reviewed by Jack Bowers


To impartially assess Imaginary Road, Bangladeshi-raised, New York-based guitarist Reza Khan's sixth album, it is best to lay aside as best one can his disposition for or against what could reasonably be labeled “smooth jazz" and start from there. Is the music melodically and rhythmically likeable? Yes, it is. Are the musicians technically able? Yes, they are. Beyond that, what can be said? Well, the ten songs are essentially atmospheric, depicting the sort of aural landscapes that ...

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Album Review

Dan Bonsanti: Cartoon Bebop

Read "Cartoon Bebop" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The malicious coronavirus pandemic that brought most of the world to its knees in 2020 has spawned the use of several reanimated words including “virtual," whose meaning is “sort of here but not really," as in virtual video chats, conference calls, exhibits, films and even musical performances. “Virtual" has spread its tentacles into almost every walk of life including jazz, via YouTube and other creative channels. And now, it seems, to big bands as well. Cartoon Bebop, the third album ...

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Recording

Mark Egan Releases "Dreaming Spirits" with Arjun Bruggeman & Shane Theriot

Mark Egan Releases "Dreaming Spirits" with Arjun Bruggeman & Shane Theriot

Source: Mark Egan

On this duo project Dreaming Spirits, bassist-composer Mark Egan joins forces with tabla-percussionist Arjun Bruggeman along with guest guitarist Shane Theriot for a set of music that is at once meditative and invigorating, incorporating drone tones and ambient textures into a compelling world music mix while also leaving room for dynamic improvisation and in-the-moment dialoguing between the players. “I feel like I’ve always heard this music and I’ve always wanted to record this type of project” says the acclaimed bassist ...

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Recording

Karl Latham, Ryan Carniaux and Mark Egan release "Constellations"

Karl Latham, Ryan Carniaux and Mark Egan release "Constellations"

Source: Michael Ricci

Constellations is the debut recording from Karl Latham, Ryan Carniaux and Mark Egan with special guest Nick Rolfe featuring their creative interpretations of the music from Icelandic pop star Bjork. On this 74+ minute highly adventurous improvisational outing the group draws from a wide palette of influences ranging from Miles Davis's Live-Evil and Bitches Brew to open ended impressionistic variations. The Icelandic singer Bjork has created her own universe with her music and performances that are both exciting and original, ...

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Mark Egan

Jazz Musician of the Day: Mark Egan

Source: Michael Ricci

All About Jazz is celebrating Mark Egan's birthday today! Over the past 30 years, Mark Egan’s ability to groove, perfectly complement the music in any situation and solo expressively has made him one of the most in-demand bass players on the international music scene. While racking up credits with the likes of the Pat Metheny Group, saxophonists Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Stan Getz, Sonny Fortune and Bill Evans, vocalist Michael Franks, guitarists Pat Martino, Larry Coryell... Read more. Place our ...

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Contest

Enter the "Mark Egan - About Now" Giveaway!

Enter the "Mark Egan - About Now" Giveaway!

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Wavetone Records “Mark Egan - About Now“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on July 21st. Click here to enter the contest (Tracking Mark Egan at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.) Good luck! Your Friends at Wavetone Records About Mark Egan and About Now Over the past 30 years, Mark Egan’s ability to groove, perfectly complement the music in ...

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Recording

Bassist Mark Egan Releases "About Now" on Wavetone

Bassist Mark Egan Releases "About Now" on Wavetone

Source: Mark Egan

Bassist-Composer Mark Egan Showcase his Fretless Voice on About Now New Wavetone release reunites bassist with colleagues Danny Gottlieb and Mitch Forman Over the past 30 years, Mark Egan’s ability to groove, perfectly complement the music in any situation and solo expressively has made him one of the most in-demand bass players on the international music scene. While racking up credits with the likes of the Pat Metheny Group, saxophonists Steve Grossman, Dave Liebman, Stan Getz, Sonny Fortune and Bill ...

Recording

Unit 1 with Mark Egan, Karl Latham and John Hart Release "Unit 1"

Unit 1 with Mark Egan, Karl Latham and John Hart Release "Unit 1"

Source: Powderfinger Promotions

Wavetone Records is proud to present the self-titled debut release for jazz-funk power trio Unit 1, featuring Grammy Award-winning bassist Mark Egan, multi- dimensional drummer Karl Latham, and jazz guitar giant John Hart. Mark Egan has a unique fretless bass sound and style that is both distinctive and versatile, making him one of the most in-demand electric bassists in music today. Egan has recorded and toured with the likes of the Pat Metheny Group, Sting, Roger Daltry, Stan Getz, and ...

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Contest

Enter the "Mark Egan - Truth Be Told" Giveaway Contest

Enter the  "Mark Egan - Truth Be Told" Giveaway Contest

Source: All About Jazz

All About Jazz members are invited to enter the Wavetone Records “Mark Egan--Truth Be Told“ giveaway contest starting today. We'll select FIVE winners at the conclusion of the contest on August 11th.

Click here to enter the contest

(Following Mark Egan at AAJ automatically enters you in the contest.)

Good luck! Your Friends at Wavetone Records

About Mark Egan and Truth Be Told

One of the premier electric bassists of contemporary jazz, Mark Egan has distinguished himself ...

267

Recording

Bassist/Composer Mark Egan Releases New CD Titled "Truth Be Told" on Wavetone Records

Bassist/Composer Mark Egan Releases New CD Titled "Truth Be Told" on Wavetone Records

Source: Two for the Show Media

Legendary bassist Mark Egan showcases his new band on Truth Be Told, his new Wavetone Records Release which features Bill Evans, Mitch Forman, Vinnie Colaiuta & Roger Squitero.

One of the premier electric bassists of contemporary jazz, Mark Egan has distinguished himself over the past thirty years as an in-demand session player, valued sideman, prolific composer and respected leader in his own right.

On Truth Be Told, Egan reunites with longtime colleagues Mitch Forman (keyboards) Bill Evans (saxophones) and Roger ...

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Recording

"Thousand Miles" by Julio Awad with Peter Erskine, Paul Wertico and Mark Egan

"Thousand Miles" by Julio Awad with Peter Erskine, Paul Wertico and Mark Egan

Source: All About Jazz

Thousand Thousands is the new CD alone of the pianist and composer Julio Awad, where it assembles a stellar group of musicians to present/display his compositions of Jazz/World Fusion. The acoustic piano sparks in the overture “Returned Tango", an improvisation accompanied by two legendary musicians like the bass player Mark Egan and the drummer Paul Wertico. In other compositions like “We Arrived" it is possible to be appreciated different styles and their fort work like arranger, that an endless ones ...

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Brazilian Match

Jazz Station Records
2023

buy

Ginger's Hollow

Whirlwind Recordings
2023

buy

Three Views Of A...

JSR RECORDS
2023

buy

Plan To Be Spontaneous

Solidtone Recordings
2022

buy

Cartoon Bebop

Self Produced
2021

buy

Imaginary Road

Self Produced
2021

buy

Andar Descalço (Barefoot) feat. Randy Brecker

From: Brazilian Match
By Mark Egan

Three Views Of A Secret

From: Three Views Of A Secret Jaco...
By Mark Egan

In the Grove of the Jacarandas

From: Brazilian Match
By Mark Egan

Waiting for the Sky

From: Imaginary Road
By Mark Egan

Electric Blue

From: Electric Blue
By Mark Egan

Slinky

From: About Now
By Mark Egan

Illumination

From: Elements
By Mark Egan

Jack Hall

From: Freedom Town
By Mark Egan

Saul Cuban

From: Thelonius Bach's Lunch
By Mark Egan

Southeast Passage

From: Beyond Words
By Mark Egan

Depraw

From: As We Speak
By Mark Egan

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