Mark Whitfield

[wolflen]

A name not often mentioned here..but should be

Mark Whitfield...

Christioan McBride and Co doing a true standard The Very Thought of You

[rrbasic]

Music that “soothes the savage breast” is its own justification.

[jameslovestal]

Music that “soothes the savage breast” is its own justification.

Music needs no justification.

[Cunamara]

Saw Mark play a set today at the Como Pavilion in St. Paul and then attended his masterclass at Walker|West Music Academy. James Genus on bass and Charles Goold on drums.

Mark mentioned that he had been diagnosed with ALS in January and then some weeks later the diagnosis was rescinded. Instead it was determined that he had nerve impingement in his neck and underwent spinal fusion a couple of months ago. He seemed to have a new lease on life.

[Sam Sherry]

Seeing Mark Whitfield, Robt. Hurst and Tain Watts' Golden Brown & Delicious Trio was one of the highlights of the 2024 Newport Jazz Fest for me.

Mr. Whitfield hit every mark, in Hall-of-Fame company.

As for Bob and Tain, that was a check on my bucket-list. My brother-in-law was with us. He isn't a schooled jazz fan but likes tagging along to Newport. All day long he kept saying, "Y'know, these guys sound good but not as sharp as those two did," and kept saying, "They set the bar, Phil."

[Bob_Ross]

My favorite Mark Whitfield story isn't so much about Mark Whitfield...but it was the first time I'd ever heard him live, so I'll tell it now:

Circa 1989 or '90, the ultra-slick synth-pop band that I'd been playing bass for got a major label record deal, huge budget, name producer, blah blah blah... but that isn't really germane to this story. But after 5 or 6 nights in a row of sitting in the control room while the producer and engineer were just obsessing over drum sounds, the keyboard player and I walked out of the studio dazed, and dying to hear some actual music. He says "there's a jazz club near my apartment, wanna check it out?"

This is near Washington Square Park in New York City, fwiw. It's also 2:00AM ...but, y'know, NYC is the city that never sleeps, so we wander over to this club I'd never been into, grab a couple beers, and look towards the stage. Can't remember if it was a trio or a quartet, but it's a jazz combo, and the guitar player is pretty damn good. Turns out his name is Mark Whitfield. I make a mental note to check out more of his work. (Did Whitfield have any more work in '89 or '90?)

Wait, it gets better: I notice a well-dressed man who looks vaguely familiar leaning up against the bar enjoying the music. I almost dismiss this... until Mark Whitfield picks up the mic and demands, cajoles, insists that this man come up on stage and play a number. And when he begrudgingly agrees and saunters up onstage, Mark hands him his guitar.

It's George Benson.

2:00AM (actually, now closer to 2:45) in some tiny-ass club in Manhattan with fewer than 50 people in the audience. George Benson starts playing some straightahead standard, I forget what the tune was. And he absolutely tears that shit up like I have never heard Benson do on record! I swear flames were coming out of the guitar! The most stunning unabashed and unapologetic display of pure athletic guitar chops, over changes, that I have ever heard. Mind = Blown

Whitfield didn't even do an encore; after George finished up he just shook his head and announced "Good night, folks."

[Cunamara]

Mark told a George Benson story at the masterclass, about a gig with Jack McDuff. George sat in and used Mark's guitar. Mark had been unhappy with his sound at that time; he said that George went over to the amp, worked some magic on it and sounded wonderful. Mark later goes over to the amp with his guitar, excited to see the changes George made...

and George hadn't changed a thing.

All in the hands. One of Mark's biggest lessons in musicianship, seemingly.