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Meet Mark Sullivan
I currently live in:
Indian Trail, North Carolina (just outside of Charlotte).I joined All About Jazz in:
I joined in 2012, after reading the site casually for a couple of years. I answered the call to join the staff in early 2014 (I think), initially as an editor. I kept getting requests for album reviews, and finally published my first one in December, 2014.Why did you decide to contribute to All About Jazz?
I had already done a lot of writing about music earlier in my life. Having been away from it for a while, I realized that I had missed the exercise of close listening and setting down my thoughts. I enjoyed the diversity and openness of the AAJ format: it seemed like a place where all of my musical interests could find a home.How do you contribute to All About Jazz?
Initially I contributed as an editor, and still do occasional editing. I review albums, live performances and books, and conduct interviews. I especially love attending and reviewing festivals near and far.What is your musical background?
I began learning how to play guitar at age 14, initially in folk singer/songwriter mode (influenced by Bob Dylan and others). In high school I sang in the glee club, and formed the first of several rock bands. In college I continued to play rock, while also exploring prog rock, jazz and New Music. I took music classes in theory, musicology and composition (including a semester with composer William Bolcom). After graduating I took private composition lessons with the avant-garde composer George Cacioppo (who had been a member of the ONCE group).My interest in performing my own compositionsinformed by Terry Riley, Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Fripp & Eno led to solo performances with tape-delay, as well as group collaborations. I released the solo cassette Electronic Meditations in 1983. Since then I have been intermittently active as a jazz and experimental guitarist (including several self-produced albums in the early 2000s).
What was the first record you bought that you would still listen to today?
Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited.Aside from jazz, what styles of music do you enjoy?
Lots! Traditional international music from all over: India, Africa, and the Middle East especially. New Music, experimental music of all sorts, and Latin music (especially Latin jazz). Rock, including classic rock, New Wave, and art rock.What are you listening to right now?
Anything with touch guitarist Markus Reuter: he is not only prolific, but consistently interesting, in a wide variety of settings. Weekly postings by experimental guitarists Henry Kaiser and Robert Fripp. Local online jazz performances from Jazz at the Bechtler and JazzArts Charlotte. MoonJune Records releases and live streams.Which five recent releases would you recommend to readers who share your musical taste?
Jon Hassell: Seeing Through Sound: Pentimento Volume TwoKaruna: Imaginary Archipelago
Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio: Angels Around
Markus Reuter: Truce
Stillefelt: Stillefelt