Mark Prince

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Friendly Fire

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Released: Jan 1, 2008

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Friendly Fire
5:55
2,489 plays
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It Takes a Village
5:14
5,281 plays
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August ft Geno Young
4:26
1,768 plays
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Ingela
3:54
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Gratitude
5:28
835 plays

Total Plays: 22,691 / Plays Today: 1See All Featured ►

General Info

Genre: Funk / Nu-Jazz / Progressive
Location Washington, DC/GERMANTOWN, Maryland, US
Profile Views: 49964
Last Login: 2/27/2011
Member Since 12/20/2005
Website www.markprincemusic.com
Record Label Contour Records
Type of Label Indie
Bio
Mark Prince’s – Fraction of Infinity Since 1995, Mark Prince has made a name for himself on the international scene, primarily as the drummer for artists such as: Andy Milne’s Dapp Theory, Bobby Lyle, Jennifer Holliday, Fertile Ground, and a host of other important artists. After scores of tour dates, hundreds of recording sessions, and countless contributions as a sideman, Mark Prince places himself front and center with his powerful debut album as a leader – Fraction of Infinity. Joined by a stellar rhythm section including Federico Gonzalez Pena (Me’shell Ndegeocello, Cassandra Wilson, Bebel Gilberto) on piano and keyboards, and Michael Bowie (Abbey Lincoln, Betty Carter, Michel Camilo) on acoustic and electric bass, Mark showcases his potent songwriting skills with 10 all original compositions ranging from straight ahead Jazz to Funk, Soul, and Fusion. All bases are covered in this debut outing on Contour Records. Personnel also includes: Alvin White: guitar DeAndre Shaifer: Trumpet & Flugel Horn Greg Boyer: Trombone David White: Tenor Sax & Flute David Merlin-Jones: Soprano Sax Geno Young: Vocal www.markprincemusic.com www.myspace.com/markprinceondrums .... Born and raised in Washington, DC, Mark has developed into one of the premier drummers in todays music scene. Honing his skills at Howard University under the expert tutilege of the legendary Grady Tate, as well as maintaining a strong classical background as a National Symphony Fellowship recipient, his versatility is a sought after attribute amongst the musical community both nationally and internationally. Though an accomplished classical percussionist, Mark feels that he expresses himself most clearly through the drumset, and readily accepts the honor and responsibility of mastering the instrument ( in its American form ) that is the driving force and spiritual center of all music in the African Diaspora. Mark is steadily making a name for himself within the larger community of national and international artists, having performed with many notable musicians, as well as those deserving wider recognition, at home and abroad. His ability to function in varied stylistic realms is evident in the eclectic list of those with which he has collaborated. Mark takes pride in being versatile, as he has shown, and will continue to show with ever-increasing intensity. Upon graduating from Howard University in 1995, Mark began a six-year stint with cutting-edge keyboardist Andy Milne. His time with this band served as a rewarding platform of development, being thrust into the complex, but intensely groove-driven arena of M-BASE music. This idiom, a fusion of funk, jazz, astrology, mysticism, and any other pertinent influence, was a perfect match for Marks unique style of drumming, which draws from influences equally as vast. In this context, Mark developed a relentless sense of groove, making the most complex of rhythmic patterns danceable, a skill that he deftly applies in many different styles. During this period, Mark also toured and recorded with Carlos Wards Radius, Opus Akoben, Debbie Kirkland, Davey Yarborough, Alex Bugnon, and Charles Fambrough, gaining a strong reputation as an extremely versatile drummer, playing styles ranging from hip-hop and R&B to contemporary and straight-ahead jazz. In the fall of 2001, Mark was recruited by master flautist and composer, James Newton to take the drum chair in an original ballet entitled, Crossroads, which has been performed nationwide by the Jose Limon Dance Company. After completing a month-long stint, he received a call from the Broadway and R&B Legend, Jennifer Holliday. Immediately securing the gig by way of his tremendous groove and musicality, Mark received the additional honor of being asked by Ms. Holliday to be the drummer for her twentieth anniversary run of Dreamgirls, the world renowned musical that catapulted her career. In the meantime, Mr. Prince has been performing with a steady stream of Brazilian, Cuban, and Puerto Rican musicians, garnering a strong reputation in the Latin Jazz scene in his hometown of Washington, DC. His current association with the Philadelphia-based Gospel-Jazz singer Ruth Naomi Floyd has provided an oppurtunity to bridge the gap between New York and DC. Marks combination of hard-driving swing and sensitive musicality serve as full testament of the fact that he is fully deserving of the label of All Around Drummer. Mark has also begun to gain a reputation as an excellent clinician and teacher. He has lead and co-lead clinics (along with keyboardist Andy Milne) and masterclasses in the U.S., Canada, and South America. In addition to his teaching endeavors abroad, Mark frequently gives back to the community that supported his development, by giving lectures and demonstrations to students in the DC and Maryland Public School Systems, further punctuating his versatility, as well as his commitment to sharing the gift of music. Mark endorses: GMS Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Vic Firth Sticks, and Evans Heads. Performed / Recorded with: Ronnie Laws, Steve Coleman, Andy Milne, Charles Fambrough, Alex Bugnon, Terence Blanchard, Meshell Ndegeocello, Ralph Peterson, Gary Grainger, Scott Ambush, Clarence Seay, Debbie Kirkland, ReggieWashington, Sunny Sumter, David Gilmore,Steve Wilson, David Yarborough, Federico Pena, Opus Akoben, Carlos Ward, David Fiuczynski, Tyrone Brown, Geri Allen, Wallace Roney, Talib Kibwe, Matthew Garrison, Ron Holloway, James Williams, James Weidman, Essiet Okun Essiet, Ravi Coltrane, Vinia Mojica, Gary Thomas, Ruth Naomi Floyd, Bruce Cockburn, Julian Joseph, David Dyson, Bryan Carrot, The Jazzyfatnastees, Greg Phillanganes, Billy Childs, Gregoire Maret, Donald Harrison, Michael Cain, Jay Hoggard, Marty Ehrlich, Jennifer Holliday, Nestor Torres, John Blake, Fertile Ground, James Newton, Lonnie Plaxico, Don Braden, Michael Bowie, Rodney Jones, Sherry Winston, Peabo Bryson, Ruben Studdard, Chuck Redd, Tom Schuman, Bobby Lyle, Sergio Brandao Television Appearances: DC Jazz Legends, DC Public Access Channel feature 2004 House Drummer, Star Jamz, TVOne Network 2004 Cully Jazz Festival, European simulcast, w/ Andy Milne March 2001 Live at the Knitting Factory, BET Jazz Network, w/ Carlos Ward April 2001 Good Day Dallas, Fox (Dallas), w/ Andy Milne May 1998 ..........Your Birthdate: February 10.................. Independent and dominant, you tend to be the alpha dog in most situations... You're very confident, and hardly anything ever shakes you... Mundane tasks tend to drain you - you prefer to be making great plans... You are quite original. When people don't "get" you, it bothers you a lot... .. Your strength: Your ability to gain respect.. .. Your weakness: Caring too much what others think.. .. Your power color: Orange-red.. .. Your power symbol: Letter X.. .. Your power month: October ..........What Does Your Birth Date Mean?.... ..Trade w/ Rich Brown Toronto 1999...... .. .. .. .. ......Add to My Profile.. | .. More Videos.. .. .. .. .. ..
Members
Michael Bowie: Bass, Federico Gonzalez Pena: Piano and Keyboards, David J. White: Tenor Saxophone and Flute, DeAndre Shaifer: Trumpet and Flugel Horn, Alvin White: Guitar, David Merlin-Jones: Soprano Saxophone, Greg Boyer: Trombone, Geno Young: Vocal.............. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .......... .......... .. .. .. .. ..
Influences
God, The Prince Family, The Monteith Family, The Scurvin Family, Karen Gail Prince, Tony Williams, Ralph Peterson, jr., Prince, Jimi Hendrix, The Band of Gypsys, Jeff"Tain" Watts, Rich Brown, Chick Corea, Jean-Luc Ponty, Rayford Griffin, Omar Hakim,Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Stewart Copeland, Wendy and Lisa, Sheila E., Sting, Dave Holland, Kevin Eubanks, Miles Davis, Danilo Perez, Reggie Washington, Kokayi, Me'shell, L'il John Roberts, Eric Harland, Gene Lake, Michael Bland, Fish, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Kirkland, Cyrus Chestnut, James Newton, Elizabeth Kontomanou, Donald Kontomanou, Patrice Blanchard, Terence Blanchard, Ed Simon, Wayne Shorter, David Binney, David Gilmore, Adam Rogers, Carlos Ward, Jenifer Holliday, Ben Perowsky, Will Kennedy, Wil Calhoun, Steve Jordan, Ben Whitman, Chris Dave, Gorden Campbell, Mega-Nutt, Amp Fiddler, Angelo Moore, Dmitri Schostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Gustav Holst, Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, Gabriel Faure, Francis Poulenc, Aaron Copland, John Williams, John Corigliano, Bobby Lyle, Brennan Nase, Kenny Garrett, William "JuJu" House, Ricky Wellman, Gerald Heyward, Art Monk, Joe Theisman, Doug Williams, Joe Gibbs, Gary Clark, John Riggins, Marcus Washington, Brian Mitchell, Grady Tate, Dr. Ben Carson, Gene Roddenberry, Edgar Cayce, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, jr, August Wilson, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Minister Louis Farrakhan, Spike Lee, Bill Lee, Joe Zawinul....and many more. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Sounds Like
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