• Just out: Fred Simon's new record, Since Forever, with Mark, Steve Rodby and Paul McCandless...."Walker's turbulent drumming and Rodby's unshakable pulse create a surprising context for Simon and McCandless' rubato duet; clearly, some of Since Forever's most innovative and evolutionary moments."-- John Kalman, AllAbout Jazz
•Mark's new instructional book/CDWorld Jazz Drumming (Berklee Press/Hal Leonard)is released!!(http://www.berkleepress.com/) • NEW RELEASE with Andy Narell, "University of Calypso" featuring Relator (HeadsUp International) http://andynarell.net/calypso/index.html ...Andy Narell and Relator have put together a group of world-class Latin-jazz cats who can swing the calypso and blow le jazz hot--and bring new life to this music.
The band:
Relator: vocal, guitar;
Andy Narell: steel pans, iron;
Dario Eskenaz: piano;
Gregory Jones: bass;
Pedro Martinez: congas, timbales, bongos;
Mark Walker: drums;
special guest:
Paquito D'Rivera: clarinet, alto sax;
with:
Inor Sotolongo: percussion;
Marco Araya-Correa: cuatro
• NEW RELEASE: WDR Big Band/Michael Philip Mossman "Misa Afro-Cubana"(Termidor Records) with the WDR Big Band arrr/cond by M.P.Mossman featuring Xiomara Laugart, Juan Pablo Torres, Mark Walker and Pernell Saturnino
Funk Tango [Paquito Records]by Paquito D'Rivera Quintet featuring
Mark Walker - drums
Paquito D'Rivera - alto saxophone
Pernell Saturnino - percussion
Diego Urcola - trumpet
Hector Del Curto - bandoneon
Oscar Stagnaro - bass guitar
Fernando Otero,
Ed Simon,
Alon Yaunai - piano won for Best Latin Jazz Album
in theLatin Grammy Awards!!
10000 Kilometers [Cam Jazz] by Oregon
Mark Walker - drums
Paul McCandless - bass clarinet
Ralph Towner - classical guitar
Glen Moore - double bass
clips from 1000 Kilometers--check out the percussion solo on "Redial"!!
From the amazing review by John Kelman in AllAbout Jazz: Oregon may well be the longest-running group in jazz today, with three of its four members together since its inception in 1970. Its ability to combine detailed composition with near-telepathic free improvisation can still be heard on 1000 Kilometers, the group's 24th recording, but what's also immediately evident is a group that's by no means standing still....drummer/percussionist Mark Walker has been with the group for more than a decade, so it's time to stop considering him the new kid on the block.
Opening 1000 Kilometers with his propulsive and Latinesque "Deep Six"*--Walker's first tune to be featured on an Oregon record--it's clear that he's an integral part of the group's current soundscape. It may be only possible to fully appreciate his remarkable ability to combine a conventional drum kit with an array of hand and electronic percussion when seen in performance, but it's become a new fundamental for the group, one of many factors that keeps Oregon from being caught in a stylistic time warp. *Mark's first individual nomination for a Grammy, for Best Instrumental Composition!!
