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Mark Elf: Mark Elf Returns 2014
by Dan Bilawsky
Nothing can stop guitarist Mark Elf from making music. He's battled serious health problems, contended with the ups and downs of the music industry for decades, and, most recently, dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the massive storm that flooded his home, delaying the recording of this record for a year. In spite of all of those setbacks and hardships, Elf still manages to have a fairly sunny musical outlook when he straps on the guitar for this, his ...
read moreMark Elf: Liftoff
by Michael P. Gladstone
Guitarist Mark Elf has been recording since 1986, and on Liftoff he continues to amaze. All but two of his dozen sessions have been on his own Jen Bay label. Athough Elf usually appears in a guitar/bass/drums format, he also includes piano on a few of these recordings.
Such is the case on Liftoff, where he joins pianist David Hazeltine, drummer Peter Washington, bassist Lewis Nash, and (on one track) percussionist Daniel Sadownick. Over the years, I've heard ...
read moreMark Elf: Liftoff
by Terrell Kent Holmes
John Coltrane's Countdown, like Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, is a brief, emotional and enduring classic. Guitarist Mark Elf makes this tune the heart of Liftoff. Elf, who played last month at Flushing Town Hall with bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Quincy Davis, was an exuberant performer who scatted along with his solos on up-tempo tunes, played fluidly on ballads, and was humorous and engaging throughout. The challenging title cut is based on Countdown, but it also ...
read moreMark Elf: Liftoff
by Jim Santella
Guitarist Mark Elf enjoys the rush of re-interpreting music by masters such as John Coltrane. He also enjoys creating fiery originals that allow him to work out on the instrument the way Trane did. It doesn't matter that one played saxophone and other plays guitar, since both artists share a deep appreciation for the creation of animated magic.
With Liftoff, Elf takes his guitar for a balanced drive that includes both up-tempo romps and sensual ballads. He loves ...
read moreMark Elf: Liftoff
by Jerry D'Souza
Several musicians have found their muse in John Coltrane, and Mark Elf joins the group with Liftoff. The guitarist takes the chord changes to Coltrane's Countdown to create the title piece. Word play notwithstanding, Elf can turn a tune to his advantage. His notes are crisp, even as they zip along at feverish pace, and that is where his strength lies: there is no clutter, just a story well told. The closing alternate version, taken at a slower pace, is ...
read moreMark Elf: Glad To Be Back
by Terrell Kent Holmes
In light of the serious medical issues that guitarist Mark Elf has overcome recently--he had a kidney disorder and is recovering from prostate cancer--any new CD he puts out is a triumph for him and his many fans. Glad To Be Back , a crisp balance of standards and originals, is Elf's musical affirmation of life. His quartet, featuring the stellar rhythm section of pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, performed at Smoke last month.
read moreMark Elf: Glad to Be Back
by Jack Bowers
"Sometimes," guitarist Mark Elf writes in the liner notes to Glad to Be Back, it takes something really serious to make one appreciate life and what the [importance] of good health means." In Elf's case, that something" was two major surgeries, the first for a kidney disorder in December '02, the second for prostate cancer in June '03.
Elf truly is glad to be back," and his enthusiasm and gratitude shine through on every note on this delightful album, several ...
read moreMark Elf: Glad to be Back
by C. Michael Bailey
New York City guitarist Mark Elf has been missing in action for the past year. Mr. Elf spent the majority of 2003 and 2004 recovering from not one but two life-threatening health conditions. Now, convalesced and back on his feet, he offers us an expression of gratitude in Glad to be Back. Always in the company of great musicians, Mr. Elf recruits the stellar rhythm section of pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash to join him ...
read moreMichelle Conte: Lucky Me!
by Jack Bowers
It must be genetic, because there’s no doubt that musical talent runs in some families. The Joneses, the Heaths, the LaBarberas — and the Elfs (or should that be Elves?). Michelle Conte, whose brother is the well-known guitarist (and entrepreneur) Mark Elf, makes her recorded debut on Lucky Me!, and it’s hard to believe when listening to her that she (a) began singing seriously only a few years ago, and (b) is self-taught.
Like her brother, Michelle ...
read moreMichelle Conte: Lucky Me!
by C. Michael Bailey
West coast vocalist Michelle Conte employs a crack East coast team for her debut recording. Originally conceived as a family-only event, Brother Mark Elf dared Conte to do it right if she was going to do it at all. The result of this dare is Lucky Me!. Conte has a tight refined voice and likes to sing her songs straight. No vocal fireworks for Conte, only pure vocal talent. Conte chooses a repertoire straight down the middle for her debut, ...
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