artists

Our artists have performed all over the world in all types of venues for all kinds of different events. Here are some examples: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Blue Note, Jazz Clinics in Austria and Italy, private parties in Switzerland, Project Sunshine, National Urban League, Museum of Modern Art, Joe's Pub, Snug Harbor, City Stages, Cirque du Soleil, etc.

Mark Rapp

There are 3 types of artists: top emerging, top current and top legendary. According to DownBeat Magazine, Mark Rapp is a "top emerging jazz trumpeter to watch."

"More than anyone else among today's trumpeters [Rapp] is breaking down the age old paradigms as to how the trumpet ought to be played in a jazz environment..." - JazzPolice.com

"He can play his axe!" - F. Murray Abraham

bio

Mark Rapp is scheduled to play the 2008 JVC Newport Jazz Festival on August 10, 2008. Most recently, Rapp headlined the Southern Exposure Festival (Sept. '07) with Branford Marsalis on a 90minute set where the two played most of the music on Rapp's soon-to-be-released debut CD (see videos). Produced by Grammy Award winner Jason Olaine, mixed by hip-hop engineer LB Dorsey, mastered by Greg Calbi and released on Paved Earth Music label with the marketing guidance of former Verve Records marketing executive Michael Kauffman, we're very excited to share it with you in early '08.

Raised in SC, Rapp attended Winthrop University where he had a most propitious meeting with Wynton Marsalis, which led him to study under Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans where he earned his Masters in Jazz.

Rapp won and received many awards during his time in New Orleans including the 1st and 2nd annual "New Orleans Jazz Kings Competition", the “People to Watch” and the "Best New Jazz Group" awards. He premiered his 2-hour long Jazz suite "A Soul's Journey" with Ellis Marsalis and Wess Anderson, Jr. and has performed for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, W.C. Handy Festival, Jazz Brevard, City Stages, as well as, multiple trips to Europe. One particular highlight for Rapp was working with his idol Terence Blanchard on his “Jazz in Film” effort.

Since moving to NY, Rapp has become one of the city's hardest working bandleaders. Staying true to his vision, Rapp consistently performs his originals and his arrangements. "I'm more interested in discovering and expressing the music in me – like Miles and Monk did... unique artists like Bjork, Dave Matthews and even Dr. Dre," says Rapp.

The National Urban League featured Rapp 3 years in a row as bandleader, composer and soloist during their annual EOE Awards Gala; consequently, he played in front of Aretha Franklin, Spike Lee and Avery Brooks to name a few. Rapp has had many notable and celebrated musicians perform with him including: Walter Blanding, Jr., Wess Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Seamus Blake, John Ellis, Brad Leali, Rodney Green and more. As a sideman, Rapp went on the road with multi-platinum artist Darius Rucker and has played with Hootie & the Blowfish, Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel. Rapp has a myriad of guest appearances on everything from a Fox NFL commercial to NY artists Hired Goons, Charley Hustle and Shitake Monkey. Rapp is also a prolific composer and has written music for a number of independent film projects including Friendship Hotel and Night and Day.

more info

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