CURRENT NEWS
2009
THEMARKWEB
Coming soon,videos of and about Mark will be posted at THEMARKWEB, a youtube.com channel--
Mark and Victor Provost just returned from Trinidad/Tobago, playing the 2009 Pan Jazz in de Yard Festival in Scarborough, Tobago on April 22--They played alongside steel pannists Liam Teague and Andy Narell--
2008
Mark has just returned from the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy; he and the legendary steel pan player Victor Provost played for 10 glorious, sun filled days--The duo played 23 engagements during the festival and still made time to enjoy the fabulous food, culture, coffee, and people--The audiences were warm and attentive and the duo had no trouble hitting their stride after not playing together for several years--They plan on recording a CD this fall--Other artists at the festival included Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Charles Lloyd, David Sanborn, Alicia Keys, KJ Denhert, and REM--
On 3 July, Mark's solo CD 'MYTH AND FEELING' was released--A release of classic and contemporary standards, it includes 'Eleanor Rigby', 'Nardis', 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Armando's Rhumba' and others, in addition to an original, titled 'Late Afternoon'--The CD is available at all of Mark's engagements, or through the website--
From 9-20 July, he will be in Perugia, Italy with steel pan drummer Victor Provost, playing 23 engagements for the Umbria Jazz Festival--
Mark has also been doing a steady Wednesday night 'Mark Lucas and Friends' session at Gullifty's Restaurant in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh with drummer James Johnson111, a regular member of jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal's group, bassist Paul Thompson, and keyboardist Cliff Barnes, a member of the smooth jazz group 'Pieces of a Dream'--they play every Wednesday from 9-12--
In March 2008, Mark finished producing vocalist Patrick Arena's CD, 'NIGHT AND DAY'--A mix of original and jazz standards, it has been playing on 65 radio stations across the US--
He is also teaching on Monday and Thursday nights at Pianos n Stuff(412.828.1003)
Ojai, CA is a beautiful little town in Ventura County, an hour and a half north of Los Angeles--Mark will be there on the 19th of January to study with guitarist Robben Ford--
2007
Mark is accepting private students for 2007, either at his apartment or the home of the student--email for rates--
He is also producing the newest CD by area vocalist Patrick Arena--
Mark was recently in Los Angeles, playing at Harvelle's Jazz Club in Santa Monica and Pancho's in Manhattan Beach--He had the opportunity to meet guitarist Allen Hinds also--
He recently had the opportunity to meet and converse with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, at a concert at Hartwood Acres--
Mark will be doing some dates in the fall with Olga Watkins and the Soul Kitchen Band--
Mark was recently in Boston, MA to play a trio of solo gigs at Chianti, a wonderful restaurant situated on the North Shore, in Beverly, MA--he had an opportunity to study, once again, with his teacher, Charlie Banacos--
2006
2006 has been a year of transition for Mark--He had been commuting between his home base of Pittsburgh, PA and Boston, MA, where he lived from 1984-99--He is now living in Pittsburgh and busily ensconced in the local music scene--
He is working in a variety of formats, with vocalists Clare Ascani, Shari Richards, Billy Price, Patrick Arena, etc.--
2005
From 19-24 January, he attended the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA--on 22 January, he played at the historic Lighthouse, in Hermosa Beach, for a private engagement-
2003
In 2003 March, he played in Paris at the Baiser Sale, a popular jazz club in the Latin Quarter, with the Francois Constantin Trio--Mark also played at the Studio des Islettes, in Montmartre--