Mark Lockheart

Mark Lockheart
Background information
Born 31 March 1961
Origin Lymington, England
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Saxophonist and composer
Instruments Tenor saxophone Soprano saxophoneand Bass clarinet
Years active 1980s to date
Labels Edition Records, Isis Records, Stay Tuned, Basho Record, Harmonia Mundi, Subtone Records.
Associated acts Polar Bear
Perfect Houseplants
Django Bates, Loose Tubes Ellington in Anticipation
Website marklockheart.co.uk

Mark Lockheart (born Lymington, 1961) is a British jazz tenor saxophonist who came to prominence as a member of the Loose Tubes big band during the 1980s.[1]

Following the demise of Loose Tubes, Mark went on to form the co-led eclectic jazz/folk quartet Perfect Houseplants with Huw Warren, Dudley Phillips & Martin France.[2] The band released five albums including two with the early music group The Orlando Consort. At this time Mark also formed his own group as leader "The Scratch Band", performing his own compositions and with this group recorded two albums including "Imaginary Dances".[3] In 2005 Mark put together his "Big Idea" to record the album "Moving Air".[4]

2003 saw Mark join British jazz quintet Polar Bear[4][5] and the group have recorded 4 albums including Held on the Tips of Fingers which saw them nominated for the Mercury Award and which was selected as one of the '100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World' by Jazzwise magazine.

A project of more of Lockheart's own compositions was released in 2009 with the "In Deep" Quintet featuring Liam Noble and Jasper Hoiby[6] and the subsequent year Mark was awarded Jazz Musician of the Year award at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. More recently his compositions have been recorded with the NDR Big Band.[7][8]

'Ellington in Anticipation" was released to critical acclaim in 2013[9] and as a septet featuring Sebastian Rochford, Tom Herbert, Liam Noble, Margrit Hasler, James Allsopp and Finn Peters completed a UK wide tour[10] supported by the Arts Council of England.

Mark has also played in sessions with Radiohead, Prefab Sprout, Stereolab amongst many others.

Lockheart currently teaches at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and is a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective.

Awards and commissions

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Polar Bear

With Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone

With Nikki Iles and Norma Winstone

With Perfect Houseplants

With Loose Tubes

With Django Bates


With June Tabor

With Huw Warren

With others

References

  1. ↑ "Mark Lockheart". All About Jazz. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  2. ↑ Perfect Houseplants
  3. ↑ Fordham, John (22 March 2002). "Delicate essence". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kelman, John (9 October 2005). "CD/LP Review: Moving Air". All About Jazz. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  5. ↑ Fordham, John (30 May 2009). "Jazz Preview: Polar Bear". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Fordham, John (19 June 2009). "Mark Lockheart: In Deep". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2009.
  7. ↑ Gelly, Dave (14 February 2010). "Mark Lockheart: Days Like These". The Observer. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  8. ↑ Fordham, John (19 February 2010). "Mark Lockheart: Days Like These". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  9. ↑ Fordham, John (14 February 2013). "Mark Lockheart: Ellington In Anticipation". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  10. ↑ Quinn, Peter (24 March 2013). "Mark Lockheart: Kings Place – Ellington In Anticipation". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 24 March 2013.

External links