Mark Boling
Mark Boling is a jazz guitarist, teacher, composer, and author. He is a veteran sideman with pianist Donald Brown, having played in Brown’s Knoxville-based bands for 20 years, and recorded with Brown on two records for the French label Space Time Records. Boling has also enjoyed a creatively rewarding 25 year collaboration with drummer Keith Brown and bassist Rusty Holloway in the Boling, Brown, & Holloway trio. This trio has been at the center of Boling’s recordings as a leader (Trio Life 2012, Tune Me 2004, Evidence 2000) as well as several collaborative projects with other bandleaders. The trio frequently performs together in the rhythm section of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra. Boling is author of Creative Comping Concepts for Jazz Guitar (Mel Bay), The Jazz Theory Workbook (Advance Music), Elements of the Jazz Language software (CPP/Belwin), and Curriculum for Aural Training software. He has been a Senior Artist-in-Residence at the Banff Center International Jazz Workshop, a visiting artist at the Brubeck Institute and has taught at the Berklee College of Music summer guitar program. He received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Berklee College of Music in Boston (1981) and a Masters in Music Theory from the University of Tennessee (1984). Mark Boling is an Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of the University of Tennessee Jazz Program.
Discography (recordings as bandleader are in bold type.)
Boling, Brown & Holloway Trio Life (MaBO Music 2012)
Terry Vosbein and the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Fleet Street (Max Frank Music 2011)
The Knoxville Jazz Session Tenors & Satin (2010)
Rocky Wynder Edwin and Catherine (2009)
Terry Vosbein and the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Progressive Jazz 2009 (Max Frank Music 2009)
Steve Brown Within (2009)
Donald Brown Fast Forward to the Past (www.spacetimerecords.com 2008)
Zim Ngqawana Zimology in Concert USA (Sheer sound 2008) *
* Won a South African Music Award (SAMA) for “Best Traditional Jazz Album.”
East Coast Standards Time: Impressions (Altru Music 2007)
Fabrizia Barresi Choice (Quantum Jazz Music 2005)
Mark Boling Tune Me (MaBO Music 2004)
Joe Thompson New York Barrio (2001)
Donald Brown Enchante (Space/Time Records 2000)
Mark Boling Trio Evidence (MaBO Music 2000)
Joe Thompson Little Foot (1999)
Nancy Brennan Strange Les Etoiles Mysteriouse (Cassell Tunes 1996)
Bill Scarlett Jazz from the University of Tennessee (1993)
Concerts
Jazz Education Conference in Louisville, KY with Knoxville Jazz Orchestra 1/2012
Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Christmas Concert with Carmen Bradford and Doc Severinson 12/2011
Terry Vosbein Studio Orchestra at Washington & Lee U. in Lexington, VA 10/2011
Boling, Brown & Holloway at Appalachian State U. in Boone, NC 10/2011
Todd Wright, Rick Simmerly w/ Boling, Brown & Holloway at Blowing Rock Jazz Society 10/2011
Knoxville Symphony Orchestra w/Michael Feinstein 10/2011
Gregory Tardy w/ Boling, Brown & Holloway at Barking Legs Theater in Chattanooga, TN 5/2011
Knoxville Jazz Orchestra w/Terry Vosbein at Washington & Lee U. in Lexington, VA 3/2011
Knoxville Jazz Festival w/University Jazz Faculty w/ Slide Hampton & Jerry Coker 3/2010
Boling, Brown & Holloway at Muroran Jazz Cruise Festival in Muroran, Hokaido, Japan 8/2009
San Jose Jazz Festival with East Coast Standards Time Band in San Jose, CA 8/2008
Knoxville Jazz Festival w/Donald Brown 4/2008
Download pdf version: Mark_Boling_Bio_Discography_Concerts.pdf
Boling, Brown & Holloway
Mark Boling (guitar), Keith Brown (drums), and Rusty Holloway (bass) have played music together since the mid-1980s, soon after they began teaching jazz at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The trio first played together in the band “Rust,” performing rhythm and blues, rock and pop throughout the region. Over the years the three have played together in a variety of styles — New Orleans, blues, rock, funk, free, fusion, mainstream, and big band. They have worked regularly with musicians Donald Brown, Gregory Tardy, Zim Ngqawana, Bill Scarlett, Vance Thompson, Jack Coker, and Jerry Coker. They have worked together in larger musical organizations such as the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. In the course of their teaching, they often coach student ensembles together and perform with visiting artists. This shared wealth of experience influences their ongoing musical conversation. Over the years the Boling, Brown & Holloway trio has honed a repertoire of original music and standards with roots in the sound of the great guitar trios led by Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Jim Hall, John Scofield and Pat Metheny.
With their latest studio album, Trio Life (on the MaBo Music label) Boling, Brown & Holloway document a musical journey of several decades. On this recording, the trio plays original compositions by guitarist Mark Boling along with jazz standards, Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver tunes, and a Norah Jones cover. This eclectic mix has been slowly distilled in their hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee to produce a sound described in the press as “honest,” “polished,” and “explorative.”
Mark Boling has previously released two albums as a bandleader featuring the trio. Evidence, the first release, was featured on the syndicated Jazz South radio program in 2002, as an “Outstanding Recording by a Southern Artist.” Tune Me (MaBo Music) Boling’s second recording as a leader, features nine of his original compositions and spotlights the trio, with guests Donald Brown, Zim Ngqawana, and Carlos Fernandez.
Who outside of Tennessee… would expect an explorative Knoxville Jazz group to record an album that equals or surpasses in many respects those of major labels? ... Involving a variety of styles, Tune Me is consistent in the high level of musicianship that brings to life Boling’s compositions, the players avoiding drama and flash for the polished explorative attitude of seasoned professionals. (Cadence Magazine 2004)
The trio often plays with visiting musicians on recordings and concerts, resulting in collaborations such as recordings with the East Coast Standards Time Band (Impressions on the Altrue label) and the late South African saxophonist Zim Ngqawana (Zimology in Concert USA on the Sheer Sound label). In May 2009, Zimology won the South African Music Award (SAMA) in the “Best Traditional Jazz” category. Boling, Brown & Holloway have also worked together for over ten years in the rhythm section of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, performing concerts and recording with a long line of visiting jazz artists that includes some of the best-known names in the jazz world.
Recent notable Boling, Brown & Holloway performances include Jazz Festivals in California and Japan, as well as concerts and master classes at universities in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. In addition, the trio is a significant force in the vibrant local jazz scene, performing every Thursday in Knoxville at the renowned Baker Peter's Jazz Club for over 14 years.
Download pdf version:Boling_Brown_Holloway_bio_2012.3.pdf
