Artist Profile: Jazz Guitarist Mark Mosley

By: Dr. Matt Warnock

I’m going to go out on a limb here and make a statement that might just come back to haunt me, but I think that Smooth Jazz often doesn’t get the credit it deserves as being as legit as its traditional and more “hip” cousin. Yes, there are some really cheesy and really bad Smooth Jazz records out there, but I can tell you that as someone who reviews CDs for a living, there are just as many bad and cheesy straight ahead and modern jazz records being released as well.

For whatever reason, Smooth Jazz and the artists that perform in that style seem to be judged based on the entire genre and not the merit of their performance. OK, Kenny G isn’t going to gain any street cred for anything he’s ever done, but on the other hand players such as George Benson, Brian Hughes and others can tear up a fretboard with the best of them, but seldom get the same “hipness” label as an Adam Rogers or Tim Miller, who are both monsters by the way.

D.C. are guitarist Mark Mosley is a player who has recently made the transition from being a straight-ahead bopper to a contemporary, Smooth Jazz artist. Again, some jazz fans out there might question this decision, or look down upon it as selling out, but this choice was based on a heart-felt decision, not for financial gain. Though he’s moved into a more Smooth direction, the fundamentals of what make Mosley a solid player remain. His vocabulary is still abundant, his grooves hard and his sense of melody is the same as it ever was, even if the accompaniment is different.

Guitar International recently sat down with Mosley to discuss this change in musical direction and how that has manifested itself on his new record TLC.

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Matt Warnock: You were recently added to the Eastman Guitars artist roster, becoming the first African American on their roster. How did you become associated with Eastman and what does it mean to you as a player and person to be included on their roster?

Mark Mosley: I’ve played a number of Eastman guitars over the years prior to being added to their artist roster, and I remain very impressed with the instruments, and the prices are very low for the high-quality workmanship they put into each guitar.

I simply sent a request to be added to their roster and after they reviewed my info and checked out my music they agreed to add me to the roster, it was a pretty simple process really. The Eastman website will eventually have my picture and info displayed. If I could I’d like to thank Mark Herring at Eastman guitars for his support with this process.

Matt: Do you play Eastman guitars exclusively or do you have other guitars in your regular rotation?

Mark: I have other guitars that I play from time to time .They all have their own vibes, but my Eastman John Pisano guitar “sings” and feels great, so that’s my main guitar at the moment.

Matt: What amps do you use and does your live setup differ from what you bring into the studio to record?

Mark: I use the Twin JazzKat for most inside restaurant or museum gigs, smaller rooms where I can control the sound better. However, my Polytone Mini-Brute III and Fender Twin 65 reissue work their way into my rotation from time to time. It all depends on the gig, the room and the sound I’m looking for on that particular day.

Matt: Your latest album TLC showcases a new direction in your playing and writing, moving away from traditional jazz into a more contemporary realm. What was the inspiration behind making this transition in your playing?

Mark: Well, I’ve always wanted to write and perform music that gets people’s feet tapping and body swaying. I think sometimes there’s a fine line that we all walk as jazz musicians between playing music for other jazz musicians and playing music for the general public. On the one hand I want to perform in a way that the average person can dig what I’m doing, but on the other hand I want to earn respect and cred from my fellow musicians. Maybe that’s just my ego talking, which I try to check at the door, but that’s what it boils down to.

So this album was my way of walking that line, of making music that had merit but that also could be enjoyed by anybody, not just musicians. I’ve never really been inspired by the whole academic approach to jazz and blues, I’ve always been drawn to the emotional side of things. The notes themselves aren’t as important to me as how someone plays those notes, the personality that they inject into their playing. That’s the direction I was going with the new record, and that’s why I’m taking this new direction in my playing.

Photo Courtesy of Mark Mosley

Matt: What has been the reaction so far to this new direction from people who know you as mainly a bebop guitarist?

Mark: It’s been great so far, and the reaction I’m getting is that people like it because I include the “real deal” from a blues and jazz perspective on the album, and then inject that into a more contemporary approach to the genre. Of course there will always be people who won’t like it, who think it’s not legit jazz or whatever, but I don’t really bother with those people. So far I’ve received a lot of positive comments and feedback from fans and the press, so I’m really happy with the way it’s turned out.

Matt: How much time did you spend before you went into the studio rehearsing and working on this material, or was it all working out once you got into the studio and started laying down tracks?

Mark: Everything was methodically prepared for. The musicians all received sample tracks prior the recording dates at Bennett Studios in N.J, all of the parts were meticulously written out and arranged for the band. Once we got into the studio we laid down one or two takes at the most and that’s all we needed. It was a lot of work up front, but once we were in the studio it was a quick process.

Matt: You gig a lot around the D.C. area, have you started playing these new tunes on your gigs and if so what’s been the reaction so far?

Mark: Yes, I perform at least two of the tunes on every gig I do these days, and have sold many CD’s from the bandstand as a result. I think people like the variety that these new tunes bring to my sets, and so I’ll keep working these songs into my gigs in the future.

Matt: After releasing the album, do you feel that this is the direction your music will take in the future, or do you see yourself releasing another straight-ahead jazz album at some point down the road?

Mark: Actually I don’t know what the future will bring. I’m having a great time right now playing these new tunes, and just getting out and gigging on a regular basis. I think that anything I write or record down the road will definitely come from the heart and have a strong foundation in the blues and jazz traditions.

Whether that will be in a more bebop or contemporary context I can’t say. But I know that whatever I do will come from my respect for the music and for the musicians who have paid their dues over the decades to keep this music alive for all of us to enjoy.