Mark Donlon is a pianist, composer, conductor and educator based in the UK. His current group, as heard on his Fuzzy Moon release Kashasha, features American drummer Gene Calderazzo, UK bassist Mick Hutton and award-winning saxophonist Julian Siegel.
As a solo pianist Mark has recorded CDs and given recitals of his Jazz/Contemporary Classical crossover compositions to critical acclaim in the press. He is also particularly known as a specialist in Latin Music.
In the field of Higher Education he has established a profile as a respected teacher and academic, having taught and examined at leading conservatoires such as TrinityLaban, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the DIT Conservatoire in Dublin and The Royal Academy of Music. He also held senior academic positions at Leeds College of Music. He is a tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective (led by fellow Fuzzy Moon artist Issie Barratt) and is currently establishing the New School of Jazz in Manchester, in collaboration with guitarist, composer and educator Kathy Dyson. He is a member of the Leeds Music Teachers Guild.
Mark founded the highly successful CUK Big Band in 2004 and was presented with an award for excellence in Jazz Education in recognition of that undertaking by the International Association of Jazz Educators in Toronto in 2008.
As well as releasing a number of CDs he has had works published for solo piano, small jazz ensembles and Jazz orchestra.
‘A fabulously gifted pianist’ (Manchester Evening News - Alan Brownlee)
‘Brilliant, focused playing’ (The Times – Alyn Shipton)
‘Streaming up-tempo freedom, at times suggestive of the implacable precision of early Paul Bley . . . Donlon’s take on ‘My Foolish Heart’ and ‘Recorda Me’ was a revelation’ (The Guardian – John Fordham)