Whitfield Mark
Whitfield Mark
Whitfield, Mark American guitarist; b. Linden-hurst, N.Y., Oct. 6,1966. He began his musical studies at an early age, playing bass until his family relocated to Seattle, where he landed a spot as guitarist in the school band. Mostly self-taught, his exceptional abilities became apparent in a high school jazz competition sponsored by Berklee, where he subsequently enrolled with a full scholarship. After graduation, he relocated to N.Y. Like many of his contemporaries, he showed promise, and has lived up to that promise. Stylistically he is a hard-bop stylist, though he has flirted with pop-jazz on occasion. His guitar influences include George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green. He has established himself as one of the top jazz guitarists of his generation.
Discography
The Marksman (1990); Patrice (1991); Mark Whitfield (1993); True Blue (1994); 7th Avenue Stroll (1995); Forever Love (1997); Fingerpainting: The Music of Herbie Hancock (1997).
—Paul MacArthur