Mark O'Connor
Saxophonist Mark O’Connor, an Austin, Texas native, has been part of the Chicago and Milwaukee music scenes since 1996 as a performer, composer and educator. His debut CD on Blujazz productions, Mirage, spent eight weeks on the national jazz radio charts and garnered such praise as “With his hearty sound and bristling ideas, O’Connor can bowl over even a jaded follower of post-bop jazz.” � Neil Tesser, Author, The Playboy Guide to Jazz, and, “A very good saxophonist he is… melodically and rhythmically engaging lines… expressiveness and melodic sensitivity.” � Jazz Times Magazine. O’Connor has performed with such notables as Rufus Reid, Arturo Sandoval, Henry Butler, Steve Turre and Joe Williams. O’Connor’s quintet, formed in 2001, has performed at numerous venues throughout the Midwest including The Green Mill, The Elbo Room, The Skokie Theatre, The Chicago Cultural Center and The Rogers Park Jazz Festival in Chicago; The Elephant Room in Austin, TX and The Jazz Estate in Milwaukee.
As an educator, O’Connor has conducted clinics in Chicago, St. Louis, Whitewater, WI, Austin, TX and Cedar Falls, IA on topics ranging from saxophone playing to jazz improvisation to jazz ensemble playing. He has served as guest artist for the jazz ensemble at St Louis Metro High School, and guest artist and conductor for the Moraine Valley Community College Jazz Ensemble and University of Northern Iowa Jazz Panthers. O’Connor has taught private saxophone lessons for fourteen years at many Chicago area high schools and community colleges such as New Trier High School, Naperville North and Naperville Central High Schools, Lake Zurich High School and Moraine Valley Community College.
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February 01, 2013
Jazz Vocalist Jane Monheit and Special Guest Mark O'Connor Take the...
November 11, 2011
Jazz This Week: Keith Fullerton Whitman, Scratch, Mark O'Connor, a...
February 25, 2011
Mark O'Connor: Tour Dates and Holiday LP
January 03, 2010
Mark O'Connor, John Patitucci & Julian Lage Debut Trio at Blue Note
August 06, 2009
Violinist Mark O'Connor: String Americana
May 01, 2009
Mark O'Connor: Living on the Cracks
April 20, 2007
John Blake, Jr. Ensemble Joins Grammy Winning Fiddler Mark O'Connor &...
October 21, 2005
October 29, 2003
Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing Trio Settles Into Iridium for Extended Run
...a stellar first recording. RUFUS REID, author THE EVOLVING BASSIST
“A very good saxophonist he is… melodically and rhythmically engaging lines… expressiveness and melodic sensitivity.” � Jazz Times Magazine
“A great new cd, it does not contain a bad cut
Primary Instrument
Saxophone
Willing to teach
Advanced only