“Four Stars! Winkler is a storyteller, his voice is wry, unpretentious and warm. In short, he is splendid company.” — Downbeat Magazine
Platinum award-winning vocalist and songwriter Mark Winkler, is set to release his 21st recording,The Rules Don’t Apply, in the UK. “An unsung hero of West Coast Jazz”, according to Downbeat magazine, Winkler can swing, touch hearts with a sensitive ballad and deliver a humorous song with a sly wink. He captures all of these moods on The Rules Don’t Apply which features eight original compositions and five creatively curated standards.
Winkler celebrates the East and West coasts of America with ‘Sunday In LA’, written with Greg Gordon Smith, and ‘In Love In New York’, scored by Michele Brourman. He shares the pensive ‘Lessons I’ve Learned’ and exuberant ‘Here’s To Jazz’ with frequent collaborator Jamieson Trotter who is also responsible for arranging Randy Newman’s ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’ cast as a New Orleans second line parade. John Beasley leaves his piano and arrangement mark on Lennon-McCartney’s ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’, Paul Simon’s ‘Something So Right’ and the title song, written by Eddie Arkin with lyrics provided by the exquisite Lorraine Feather.
A prolific lyricist, Winkler’s songs have been recorded or performed by a Who’s Who of well know singers, including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Randy Crawford, Claire Martin, Jane Monheit and Dianne Reeves. Liza Minnelli titled her recording Tropical Nights after one of Winkler’s songs. The roster of Winkler’s collaborators is equally impressive and includes David Benoit, Dexter Gordon, Joe Sample and Wayne Shorter.
“Mark has a great understanding of what a singer needs in a song and his lyrics are always intelligent, thought provoking and moving as well as pithy and effortlessly cool,” says Martin. “I’m thrilled that a London audience will get to hear him because, as well as being an incredible songwriting talent, he’s also a wonderful singer!”
Tuesday 9 July 2024
UK launch concert at PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho, London
