Mark Soskin was born July 12, 1953 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Soskin has recorded and performed with such diverse musicians as Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Randy Brecker, Billy Cobham, Buster Williams, Eddie Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Cornell Dupree, Herbie Mann, John Abercrombie, Claudio Roditi, Sheila Jordan, Gato Barbieri, Joe Locke, David\”Fathead\”Newman, Mark Murphy, Slide Hampton, Pete and Sheila Escovedo, Bobby Watson, Miroslav Vitous, The NY Voices and others.
Soskin attended Colorado State University where he pursued classical studies, but at this time his interests in jazz music were growing. In 1973 he enrolled in The Berklee College of Music, studying composition as well as arranging. In Boston he began to work professionally until moving to San Francisco, eventually going on to work with some of the west coast\'s finest players.
Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Soskin was introduced to the Latin music legend, Pete Escovedo. Along with Pete\'s daughter, percussionist Sheila. E, they toured and recorded as Azteca, a group in which Soskin\'s keyboard, writing, and arranging talents were showcased. Eventually, the group, which now included Tom Harrell on trumpet, went on to record two discs for Fantasy Records, produced by drum ace Billy Cobham. Soskin was enlisted in Cobham\'s band, a stint that lasted for two years and which produced two recordings for Columbia. Between tours for Cobham, Soskin did a tour and live recording for the CBS All Stars with Tom Scott, Alphonso Johnson, Steve Khan, and Billy Cobham. At this time Soskin was very active as a session player at Fantasy studios in Berkeley, California and veteran jazz music producer Orrin Keepnews took notice.
Soskin signed his first recording contract with Prestige (a subsidiary of Fantasy) produced by Keepnews, entitled \”Rhythm Vision.\” This featured the likes of Benny Maupin and Harvey Mason with the album eventually making it into Billboard\'s top ten Jazz Chart.
Keepnews introduced Soskin to Sonny Rollins, which started a long, fruitful collaboration (14 years). Besides the extensive touring throughout the world, Soskin can be heard on a number of critically acclaimed recordings with the tenor sax master, including a video,\”Saxophone Collosusî.
Since 1981 Soskin has resided in New York City, remaining active as sideman and as a leader. He has seven of his own recordings to date and three as co-leader, one which features Harvie Swartz and Joe LaBarbera with Sheila Jordan called \”Spirits\”, one under the name \”Contempo Trio\” with Danny Gottlieb and Chip Jackson featuring Ravi Coltrane and another Contempo Trio recording named \”The Secret of Life\” featuring Carolyn Leonhart. His recording, \”17\” on TCB, highlights Soskin in a quintet setting featuring mainly original compositions. His latest CD \”One Hopeful Day\”(Kind of Blue,2007) features John Abercrombie,John Patitucci,Chris Potter, and Bill Stewart.He continues to maintain a busy tour schedule as well as giving master classes and workshops. Television performance credits include the HBO hit series, \”Sex And The City.\” Examples of arranging projects have been writing for Slide Hampton\'s \”World Of Trombones\” and his writing and playing on Steve Smith\'s DVD,\”Drumset Technique/History of the U.S. Beat\”. Soskin has been featured in solo piano concerts throughout the world such as the Ottawa Jazz Festival. He has performed the premier of contemporary classical music composer John Adams\' opera, \”Ceiling/Sky\” at Lincoln Center.
Soskin is currently on the faculty of The Manhattan School Of Music and has been written up in numerous music publications, including Ira Gitler and Leonard Feather\'s Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz and The Jazz Book by Joachim E. Berendt. Mark Soskin is featured in the film documenting latin jazz artists entitled \”Calle 54.\”
Mark Soskin teaches privately and is available for master classes/workshops.
\”Mark Soskin, in particular, shines with his melodically inventive and clearly
articulated choruses\”
Peter Niklas Wilson
from his book, Sonny Rollins: The Definitive Musical Guide
\”Soskin establishes a compelling style at once sophisticated and
spontaneous\”
Chuck Berg, Jazz Times
\”Soskin renders flailing arpeggios in conjunction with harmonically based
block chords with stinging
rhythm accompaniment. Buoyantly executed medium tempo swing vamps and
tuneful choruses,
abetted by the pianist\'s intricate maneuvers and lyrically charged solos\”
Glenn Astarista
All About Jazz (allaboutjazz.com)
\”Soskin added crisp, leaning-into-the-beat solos with a distinct flair for
rousing climaxes\”
George Kanzler
Newark Star-Ledger
\”A Strong outing for Soskin, highlighting his sensitive touch, bold statements
and keen interplay\”
Bill Milkowski
Downbeat
\”Soskin was turning out some of the best all-around piano work I\'ve heard
in some time\”
Philip Elwood
S.F. Examiner
\”Soskin has commanding rhythmic strength and a punching left hand-an
effective, fluent soloist\”
Gary Giddins
The Village Voice
\”When sensitivity is needed,as on Monk\'s\”Reflections\” or
\”Nightingale\”,for example,Soskin always
improvises something heartfelt and out of the ordinary\”
Fred Grand
Jazz Review Magazine
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