Biography
An engaging jazz pianist, Mark Soskin first surfaced during the 1970s and drew early attention through associations with Pete Escovedo and Billy Cobham. After his 1979 debut Rhythm Vision reached the Top Ten, he remained with saxophonist Sonny Rollins for more than ten years and eventually established himself in New York City. While maintaining a faculty role at the Manhattan School of Music, he continues to perform and has released a series of well-received solo, trio, and quartet recordings, among them the 2007 date One Hopeful Day featuring saxophonist Chris Potter and the 2015 album Live at Smalls.
Soskin entered the world in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953 and displayed an early fascination with music that prompted him to begin piano studies as a child. During adolescence he turned toward jazz and absorbed the work of Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett. Following graduation from high school he entered Colorado State University as a language and classics major, yet soon recognized that music demanded his primary focus. Transferring to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, he redirected his studies toward composition and arranging and began performing professionally while still a student there. Upon completing his degree at Berklee, Soskin relocated to San Francisco, where he encountered percussionist Pete Escovedo and joined the ensemble Azteca alongside Sheila E. and trumpeter Tom Harrell. He appeared on two albums with the group, one produced by drummer Billy Cobham, an experience that led directly to membership in Cobham’s band and to the Columbia releases Magic in 1977 and Alivemutherforya in 1978.
Throughout those years Soskin also participated in the CBS All-Stars and maintained a steady schedule of session work at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California. Producer Orrin Keepnews took notice, arranged a Prestige contract, and oversaw the 1979 album Rhythm Vision, which included Bennie Maupin and Harvey Mason and placed in the upper ranks of Billboard’s Jazz Chart. Keepnews likewise introduced Soskin to Sonny Rollins; the ensuing fourteen-year collaboration yielded appearances on the 1979 recording Don’t Ask, the 1986 album G-Man, and the 1986 documentary Saxophone Colossus.
In the early 1980s Soskin settled permanently in New York City, where his sideman engagements expanded to encompass George Russell, Herbie Mann, and Claudio Roditi in addition to continued work with Rollins. He simultaneously directed his own groups, documenting the 1992 trio session Views from Here with bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Adam Nussbaum and the 1998 project Five Lands that united him with guitarist John Abercrombie, vibraphonist Joe Locke, and saxophonist Walt Weiskopf. Teaching duties grew as well, encompassing master classes and a permanent appointment at the Manhattan School of Music.
The 2001 quartet recording 17 (Seventeen) presented trumpeter Tim Hagans, saxophonist Billy Drewes, bassist Jay Anderson, drummer Matt Wilson, and percussionist Daniel Sadownick. In 2007 the quintet date One Hopeful Day arrived with tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Bill Stewart. Soskin next recorded the straight-ahead session Man Behind the Curtain alongside saxophonist Ravi Coltrane. A solo-piano tribute to Nino Rota appeared in 2012, followed by the 2015 quartet release Live at Smalls featuring bassist Jay Anderson, saxophonist Rich Perry, and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. Anderson and Pinciotti also participated in the 2017 trio album Hearts and Minds issued by SteepleChase.
Soskin entered the world in Brooklyn, New York, in 1953 and displayed an early fascination with music that prompted him to begin piano studies as a child. During adolescence he turned toward jazz and absorbed the work of Horace Silver, Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett. Following graduation from high school he entered Colorado State University as a language and classics major, yet soon recognized that music demanded his primary focus. Transferring to Boston’s Berklee College of Music, he redirected his studies toward composition and arranging and began performing professionally while still a student there. Upon completing his degree at Berklee, Soskin relocated to San Francisco, where he encountered percussionist Pete Escovedo and joined the ensemble Azteca alongside Sheila E. and trumpeter Tom Harrell. He appeared on two albums with the group, one produced by drummer Billy Cobham, an experience that led directly to membership in Cobham’s band and to the Columbia releases Magic in 1977 and Alivemutherforya in 1978.
Throughout those years Soskin also participated in the CBS All-Stars and maintained a steady schedule of session work at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California. Producer Orrin Keepnews took notice, arranged a Prestige contract, and oversaw the 1979 album Rhythm Vision, which included Bennie Maupin and Harvey Mason and placed in the upper ranks of Billboard’s Jazz Chart. Keepnews likewise introduced Soskin to Sonny Rollins; the ensuing fourteen-year collaboration yielded appearances on the 1979 recording Don’t Ask, the 1986 album G-Man, and the 1986 documentary Saxophone Colossus.
In the early 1980s Soskin settled permanently in New York City, where his sideman engagements expanded to encompass George Russell, Herbie Mann, and Claudio Roditi in addition to continued work with Rollins. He simultaneously directed his own groups, documenting the 1992 trio session Views from Here with bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Adam Nussbaum and the 1998 project Five Lands that united him with guitarist John Abercrombie, vibraphonist Joe Locke, and saxophonist Walt Weiskopf. Teaching duties grew as well, encompassing master classes and a permanent appointment at the Manhattan School of Music.
The 2001 quartet recording 17 (Seventeen) presented trumpeter Tim Hagans, saxophonist Billy Drewes, bassist Jay Anderson, drummer Matt Wilson, and percussionist Daniel Sadownick. In 2007 the quintet date One Hopeful Day arrived with tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Bill Stewart. Soskin next recorded the straight-ahead session Man Behind the Curtain alongside saxophonist Ravi Coltrane. A solo-piano tribute to Nino Rota appeared in 2012, followed by the 2015 quartet release Live at Smalls featuring bassist Jay Anderson, saxophonist Rich Perry, and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. Anderson and Pinciotti also participated in the 2017 trio album Hearts and Minds issued by SteepleChase.
Albums
