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Mark began playing jazz as a teenager in Daytona Beach, Florida. Continuing his education in Boston and New York, Mark studied with Hall Overton, Herb Pomeroy and Jaki Byard, before moving to California in 1966.

A key phase in Mark's education was a year spent in Woody Shaw's quartet. "Every night was serious school," says Mark.

Mark spent significant time working with Joe Henderson, Blue Mitchell, David Liebman and Harold Land, composing all the while. Joe recorded two of Mark's tunes on "Canyon Lady," the late tenor giant's only Latin jazz album. Mark returned the favor by playing two of Joe's classic compositions, "Inner Urge," and "A Shade Of Jade," on his 2000 release, "Serengeti."

His interest in Latin jazz led to work with Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, Moacir Santos, Francisco Aguabella, Pete Escovedo, and Cal Tjader (including Cal's Grammy-winning Concord Jazz recording "La Onda Va Bien").

Mark has continued to pursue the Latin side of his craft, attending Centro Nacional de Escuela de Arte in Havana, Cuba in 1997.

Twice, Mark has been the recipient of a National Endowment For The Arts Grants (1975 and 1977) and was awarded a "Jammie" as Best Bay Area Jazz trombonist, 1983-1984 (no, he no longer plays trombone).

Mark Levine has played/recorded with:

Woody Shaw, Mongo Santamaria, Joe Henderson, Willie Bobo, Bobby Hutcherson, Moacir Santos, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Wallace Roney, Tito Puente, Milt Jackson, Francisco Aguabella, Harold Land, David Liebman, Blue Mitchell, Pete Escovedo, James Moody, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Fortune, Eddie Harris, Stefon Harris, Eddie Henderson, Conrad Herwig, Clark Terry, Ingrid Jensen, Charlie Rouse, Bobby Watson, Chet Baker, Philip Harper, Mark Murphy, Art Pepper, Julian Priester, Bobby Shew, Steve Turre, Madeline Eastman, and Poncho Sanchez

Mark's compositions have been recorded by:

Joe Henderson, Blue Mitchell, Cal Tjader, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Mongo Santamaria, Nuyorican Soul, Joanne Brackeen, Moacir Santos, Tom Lellis, and Poncho Sanchez.

As an educator, Mark authored "The Jazz Piano Book," which has become the bible for jazz pianists all over the world. Translated into both French and German, it will be issued in Spanish in 2004,. In 1996, he completed "The Jazz Theory Book," with similar success.

Jazz Times named "The Jazz Theory Book" as the #1 choice in its "recommended basic jazz library."

Mark's faculty affiliations include:

San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 2004-present
Monterey Jazz Festival Foundation Traveling Clinicians, Monterey, CA 2002-present
University of California at Berkeley, 2000-present
Jamey Aebersold Jazz Camps, 1977-2002
Stanford Jazz Workshop, Stanford, CA, 1982-present
Jazz Camp West, La Honda, CA, 1982-2002
Jazz Studio Summer Camp, Dworp, Belgium, 1993-present
The Jazzschool, Berkeley, CA, 1997-present
San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 1992-1997
Jazz Flute Camp, Carmel Valley, CA, 2003-present
Mills College, Oakland, CA, 1986-present
Guest Clinician and residencies at schools in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Iceland, Mexico, Sweden, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Wales.

In the early '90s, Mark produced The Jazz Masters Clinic Series, a combination workshop and master class taught by touring artists passing through the Bay Area. Featured artists included Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Barron, Elvin Jones, Eddie Palmieri, and Tommy Flanagan.

MARK LEVINE & THE LATIN TINGE - ISLA (2003)

Mark Levine Piano
Michael Spiro Percussion
Peter Barshay Bass
Paul Van Wageningen Drums
Harvey Wainapel Soprano sax and clarinet
Sheila Smith Voice on cut 2

MARK LEVINE & THE LATIN TINGE - ISLA