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HELLO READERS!
This week I will talk to you about Mark Arneson project. (Mark Allen Arneson)
www.markarneson.com.
Mark was born in Los Angeles, California. He is a gifted multi-instrumentalist;
he plays Bass, keyboard, guitar, and saxophone. He has over 35 years of
Performing and over 20 years of teaching. He takes his influences from
everywhere. With his experience Mark is now a legitimate recording engineer,
mixer, and producer in one package. Check out the mix in the production of "City
Stories” album.
At a young age Mark studied keyboards with a nun named Sister Salutaris “a
doctor in string instruments”. He did his first professional gig at the age 7
playing bass, at the same time still developing his keyboard skills and doing
solo performances throughout the area. After Mark developed an interest in
guitar, he started to play classical music. Mark experienced the rock and roll
with the album “Band of Gypsys“from Jimi Hendrix. It was another type of music
to learn for him with his guitar, he was 16. His parents sent him to jazz camps
where he studied with great clinicians like Aebersold, Dan Hearle, Rufus Reid,
and Jerry Hahn. He developed an interest in saxophone after hearing Dexter
Gordon, Tom Scott, Wayne Shorter, and Coltrane. At the end of high school, he
was proficient in bass, keyboards, saxophone, guitar, and two new instruments-
violin and vocals.
Then he met his future wife to be, Beth in 1978, at the Valley City State
College. She introduced him to the people she worked with, (At the Omwick
Theatre) and they shared the same passion in music. This is where Mark was
introduced to Steely Dan, Dave Grusin, Bob James, Jeff Lorber, King Crimson,
Jeff Beck, Al Dimeola, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Jaco Pastorious, Steve Kahn,
Larry Carlton, Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour, David Sanborn, and a lot more of the
jazz-fusion artists of that era . Mark then joined the EBC fraternity. Doing
this, made him eligible to direct an 18 pieces jazz orchestra. This is where he
got to arrange and conduct the bands vocal and big band charts. . Also having a
screaming trumpet player and a very good band, he decided to transcribe some
Maynard Ferguson charts. such as "MacArthur Park" from "Live at Jimmys" and
"Stella by Starlight" from the "Carnival" album. (Little at the time did he
know, he would end up playing and becoming friends with, Larry McCabe- one of
Maynard’s trombone players from the "Carnival" tour.") During those years at
this college, Mark would spend his summers in Medora, North Dakota. Running the
soundboard for the
Medora Musical he was developing his ears for his future crafts.
After that in 1981-1983 Mark joined a country rock band called "Sagebrush". The
band moved from Detroit lakes to Breckenridge, Colorado. This is where he got to
play ski resorts like; Keystone, Copper, Vail, Steamboat springs, Winter Park,
Arapahoe Basin and the Little Bear in Evergreen. Mark liked the places Boulder
and Denver.
In 1984-1985, he moved to Fargo, North Dakota to play in bands and study
saxophone at Moorhead State University. There, he played guitar in the Top jazz
band, doing charts such as Miles Davis' "Well you needn’t" and Rob McConnell’s'
'' T.O." definitely kept his reading and improvisational chops Up.
In 1986-1987, he moved again to Reno, Nevada to play in nightclubs. There he met
and played with an internationally known Steel Guitar player named Ernie Agar.
1) intro :35
2) There He Goes Again 4:41
3) What Do You Think: 0.35
4) Always Something 6:04
5) Street Box: 0.42
6) Now Or Never 5:06
7) Big Game 1:09
8) Where It Comes From? 6:38
9) Being Caught: 21
10) Somebodys Baby 4:39
11) Fancy Ray: 0.46
12) Because Of You 4:38
13) Special Sign: 0.18
14) Give Me A Sign 5:58
15) Don't Give Up: 0.24
16) Inner City Stories 5:27
17) Homeless 1:01
18) Midnight 5:31
19) Finale: 0.57
20) Closing Credits 1:45
In 1988, Mark moved to Minneapolis and worked at Schmitt Music; he played in
blues and country bands. In 1991, he won a Minnesota Music Award, then after
that decided to interest in the recording process. In 1993, Mark produced and
wrote all the songs for the critically acclaimed jazz c.d. "Flammable Jimmies»
featuring some of the twin cities finest musicians. For this project Tom
Surowicz (Mpls Star Tribune) calls Mark (A man of vision, hooks, chops galore,
and abundant song craft) After that he started an urban R&B project at home with
his own recording studio where he began to learn the art of engineering. Instead
of learning on other peoples projects, he decided to start his own project "City
Stories" so Mark used the best vocalists in the Midwest and Paisley Park head
recording engineer named Jonathan Akre.
Jonathan showed him the shortcuts and engineering tips, to help him track, mix,
and master the best c.d.s Mark can do.
About The CD:
The CD lasts 57. 29 min. divided on twenty tracks. Most of them last
approximately 4 to 6 minutes each. This CD is a mix of different styles of
music; you can hear Pop, Rap, Funk, Hip-Hop, and Jazz with many Minneapolis
singers and musicians. I have the feeling listening to this CD, that many
artists had joined Mark to create their own CD in one CD. Mark is that amazing
that his musical colleagues love to collaborate with him. We have many
talented artists on this City Stories Project, and Mark Arneson produced this
CD. It is a CD with 20 tracks; where Mark played all instruments extremely well.
I like very much when he plays sax and when Big George Jackson comes to speak at
many spots, to change the beat between each track and continue after to let us
know the great voices of different female artists like Cynthia Johnson, Debbie
Duncan, Linda Peterson, Kathleen Johnson, Margaret Cox, who all sing
delightfully. (Margaret toured Europe with Prince’s New Power Generation). My
favourite tunes are: Track # 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16. I like when Fancy Ray
presents the track 12 on the track 11...
It is a highly recommendable CD with soft musical motifs and funky beats and a
cast of all-star musicians helmed by Mark Arneson.
Thanks for listening,
Gamillah
Produced by Mark Arneson for Trimark Productions
www.markarneson.com
markarneson@usfamily.net
Tom Surowicz, contributing writer, Minneapolis Start-Tribune
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