Mark Lewis Quartet

Saxophonist and flutist Mark Lewis has enlivened jazz scenes from Seattle and San Francisco to Rotterdam and Paris, and has created a vast and intensely stimulating body of music over the past four decades, including more than 1,700 compositions. Seattle music writer Paul de Barros calls Lewis “A distinctive original” and Earshot jazz sums up his sound: “Inspiring and fervent, saxophonist and flutist Mark Lewis shines with his impeccable, lyrical and emotive tone reminiscent of Art Pepper or Paul Desmond.”

Recent awards include Cadence Magazine Top Ten Critics Poll for 2021 for his album Naked Animals, and #2 on alto sax (after Richie Cole) and #3 on flute (after Charles Lloyd and Hubert Laws) in the 39th Annual Jazz Station Awards for his album The New York Session, a collaboration with piano legend George Cables, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Victor Lewis.

Rotterdam, the Netherlands was Mark's home base for many years. He toured and played in the better clubs throughout Europe, and taught jazz theory and improvised music classes in several music conservatories. Mark lived and performed for several years in San Francisco and Victoria, BC as well.

Jazz musicians Mark has performed and recorded with include pianists George Cables, Willem Kühne, Mark Levine, Overton Berry, Mike Renzi and Ted Gioia; drummers Victor Lewis, Candy Finch, Frans van Grinsven and Eddie Moore; bassists James Long, Hein van de Geyn, David Friesen, Larry Grenadier and Chuck Metcalf; saxophonists Noah Howard, Art Foxall and Paul Moen and the Saxophone Summit; trumpet player Randy Brecker; and vibraphonists Bobby Hutcherson and Lodewijk Bouwens. Mark often subbed for Stan Getz and John Handy during his time in San Francisco.

Music writer Ted Gioia, known as a leading global guide to music past, present and future, says of Mark Lewis: “You listen to the guys with the primo recording contracts on the very top labels, and in my opinion, they’re not in Mark’s league.”

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