01.Freedom Town02.Heart Beat
03.Habanero Nights
04.The Morning After
05.Valley Girl
06.Yumi
07.Kauai
08.Jack Hall
09.Tricycles
10.Outskirts
11.The Flame
12....Has Left the Building.
Mark Egan (keyboards, acoustic bass, double bass, 5-string bass, percussion programming)
Jeff Ciampa (guitar)
Lew Soloff (trumpet)
Clifford Carter, Jon Werking (keyboards)
Danny Gottlieb (drums)
David Charles (percussion).
Recorded at Electric Fields Studio, Warwick, New York on July 16-18, 2001.
That bass player is Mark Egan.
Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, Mark began his musical studies on the trumpet at the age of 10, mainly through the influence of his father who was an avid player. He continued to play the trumpet through high school in jazz bands, R&B groups and the high school orchestra. Mark started playing the bass at 16. He enrolled in the University of Miami School of Music under the direction of Jerry Coker and studied privately with the late Jaco Pastorius. "When I heard Jaco play it made me aware of what could be done on the electric bass, particularly with regard to grooving and soloing. Jaco just made me aware of another way of thinking about the bass.
Mark Egan - Freedom Town (2001)
ReplyDeleteRecording information: Electric Fields Studio, Warwick, NY (07/16/2001-07/18/2001); Winsome Farms Studio, Salem, NY.
Exciting Contemporary Jazz featuring an All star Lineup:Mark Egan-BassBill Evans-SaxLew Soloff- TrumpetDanny Gottlieb-DrumsClifford Carter-KbdsJohn Werking-KbdsJeff Ciampa-GuitarDavid Charles-PercussionEngineered and Mixed by Richard BrownsteinMore information at: markegan With this contemporary jazz release, technique aside, Mark has established an identity which is truly unique: a sound, style and rhythmic approach to the electric bass that is, indeed, Mark Egan. Having emanated from a lineage established by Jaco Pastorius, Mark's signature melodic, hypnotic timbre has earned him an individuality among jazz cognoscenti in a way that Pat Metheny, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, James Jamerson, Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans and Wes Montgomery, for example, have created an immediately identifiable persona on their respective instruments and in their stylized music making. From the World Contemporary Jazz opening track, "Freedom Town," to the smooth lilting groove of "Habanero Nights," we are treated to the eloquent Egan sound and silky groove. The bassist/composer has enlisted sidemen who know his style intimately. They are his perfect compliment. Again, Danny Gottlieb- drums, Bill Evans- saxes with Cliffords Carter & John Werking- keyboards, Lew Soloff-trumpet, Jeff Ciampa-guitar, and David Charles-percussion. On "Valley Girl," Mark, Danny and Cliffford set up saxophonist Bill Evans with a relaxed contemporary funk groove. The quintessential duo with long time associate Danny Gottlieb on "Kauai" captures the essence of that island's mystical, almost surreal beauty. The blues-tinged, unison melody of "Jack Hall," showcases Mark's meticulous melodic playing with a sultry back beat provided again by worthy cohorts Gottlieb, Carter, and Evans. In a rare performance on the acoustic bass, Mark's imagery on his composition, "The Flame," is dynamic and gives the listener nearly nine minutes of cerebral pleasure. Such performances remind one of another bassist, Dave Holland and his piece, "Conference of the Birds." The therapeutic implications of keeping FREEDOM TOWN on hand will serve to ease the tension of frenetic schedules. Master technician, Richard Brownstein, on this track, has captured the purity of solo artistry. In fact, the entire 64 minute release highlights the bassist's composing prowess. All twelve compositions are Egan originals.
Mark Egan BiographyOne rarely thinks of the electric bass as a solo instrument. From its early inception as the backbone of rock and rhythm & blues combos to its present day identification with intrusive, earth-pounding, acid-reflux generating boom boxes and speakers that can be heard for miles, the most refined auditory ?palates' could not distinguish one bass player from another. There is, however, a revolutionary bassist who is in great demand as a solo artist. His unique bass sound and style is distinctive and can be heard on recordings with such diverse stars as Pat Metheny, Sting, The Gil Evans' Orchestra, Arcadia, Stan Getz, Roger Daltry, and Joan Osborne. The essence of his individualism is prominent on such movies and television sound tracks as ALADDIN, THE COLOR OF MONEY, A CHORUS LINE, NBC SPORTS, ABC's ALL MY CHILDREN, CNN/HEADLINE NEWS, and a myriad of award winning television commercials.
Freedom Town
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