Mark Hollingsworth profile picture

Mark Hollingsworth

About Me


"Hollingsworth has delivered a contemporary jazz album that possesses a level of intelligence way above the norm."
- (SmoothJazzTherapy.com)


I am a LA based studio woodwind player(all the saxes, clarinets, flutes and ethnic flutes) and I write music for my own albums, as well as write and produce TV shows, records, for TV commercials, films, etc. I also do arranging and orchestrating.
I've been very lucky since I graduated from Berklee College of Music (... a long time ago) to have had the chance to play with some of the most important people in music. (If you'd like the long list, you can go to http://markhollingsworth.com/bio.html ) I've also had a chance to play with a lot of people that you've never heard of, but who are as good or better than any of the famous musicians.
With the new CD, "Chasing the Sun" it was important to me to to capture the live synergy and spontaneity that happens when you put musicians in the same room at the same time. I really wanted to take advantage of the interaction and risk-taking, which you will NEVER get from a loop!
I've taken a few chances with this project, but I think that the variety and the energy of this music will appeal to many people who are looking for something new and different. I hope that you'll explore the audio samples and really check this project out. There's a lot of music (74 minutes) and I think if you listen, you'll find some really precious moments and real musical energy that is pretty unique these days. Please post your comments when you've had a chance to listen to the album!

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 21/03/2006
Band Website: http://markhollingsworth.com/
Band Members:

Mark Hollingsworth's
"Chasing the Sun" is now available at: CdBaby - Chasing the Sun

Purchase "On the Mark" at: CdBaby - On the Mark

Personnel for "Chasing the Sun"
Mark Hollingsworth - Saxes, Clarinets, Flutes, Ethnic Flutes
James Wirrick - Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Curtis Brengle - Piano, Organ, Rhodes
Bart Samolis - Electric and Upright Bass
Sinclair Lott - Drums
Brian Kilgore - Percussion
Bill Armstrong -Trumpet
Nick Lane - Trombone
Influences: Cannonball Adderley, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Michael Brecker, Tom Scott, Ernie Watts, David Sandborn, Sonny Rollins.... etc., etc.
Sounds Like: Mark Hollingsworth!
Record Label: Windshore Music
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Humility is My Friend

Some of My Best Moments:Standing on the rim of Bryce Canyon Utah, just before dawn. Twilight has begun to obscure the millions of stars, and the bowl of monoliths that lie below my feet before me beg...
Posted by on Sun, 02 Nov 2008 15:24:00 GMT

You are going through a period of transition.

We're nearly through the first third of 2008 and a brief scan of headlines will provide ample testimony to the fact that we have been recently going through some pretty scary changes. In the world, w...
Posted by on Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:56:00 GMT

Is this Music?

Just saw Seal perform live. He did a concert of about an hour with lots of moving lights on a stage with 2 musicians who manipulated 4 laptop computers. The musicians on stage acted more as DJ than ...
Posted by on Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:47:00 GMT

Latest Review! from SmoothJazzTherapy.com

In the liner notes for his new CD 'Chasing The Sun' sax-man Mark Hollingsworth offers the view that in recent years a lot of music, including certain kinds of jazz, has become pretty rigid and very pr...
Posted by on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 07:25:00 GMT

Tending Our Spiritual Garden

I occasionally wonder how my life became so hectic. Virtually everyone I know wonders the same thing these days. When I was a kid, I promised myself I wouldn't be the cranky workaholic my father was y...
Posted by on Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:59:00 GMT

Review Highlights of "Chasing the Sun"

* From the SaxShed.comVery nice job Mr. Hollingsworth.... As a saxophonist I can appreciate Mark's tone. As a layperson I can just enjoy the music. .... Mark shows he is a wonderful flautist in a...
Posted by on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 13:12:00 GMT

new heights

"Chasing the Sun" was delivered today to the manufacturer! I've spent around 10 hours a day for the last week working on graphics. Thankfully, I have been experimenting with graphic ideas for months...
Posted by on Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:42:00 GMT

Art for Art's sake?

I'm plowing ahead with a new CD that really goes against the "norms" established by the "Smooth Jazz" format. Ironically though,... I don't think anyone who listens to "Smooth Jazz" would be consciou...
Posted by on Wed, 18 Apr 2007 18:46:00 GMT

Happy Meals for Listening? (more ranting...)

Ever thought about what it would be like to bring someone from another period in time and plop them into today, just to get their impression of something? ... maybe not, but I often have this kind of...
Posted by on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:24:00 GMT

BET Celebration of Gospel

I had a great time this week doing 4 days of work on a show for BET's Celebration of Gospel. (It will first air Jan. 28 at 8pm.) It was hosted by Steve Harvey and featured Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammo...
Posted by on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 06:43:00 GMT