Jazz trombonist Mark Bassey has been described as "a superb, witty player" (Dave Gelly). His playing can stretch from the "raucous" (John Fordham) to an "exquisite sound and perfect phrasing" (Brian Blain). Regarded as a highly versatile musician, Mark covers many styles from swing to bop as well as the more contemporary fields. Musical associations have included Julian Arguelles, Alan Barnes, Liane Carroll, Charlotte Glasson, Nikki Iles, Billy Jenkins & the BBC Big Band, Lemke-Nenza-Hillmann Trio, Daphna Sadeh, Terry Seabrook, Stan Sulzmann, Clark Tracey, Mike Westbrook and Kenny Wheeler. He has recorded widely with many people and has released two albums under his own name: Mark Bassey's Telling Stories (CD 2007) a quartet album featuring his own writing, and the quintet Bassey Plays Basie (CD 2011).

Mark has been involved with jazz education for over 30 years, teaching all instruments and running classes in harmony, improvisation, composition and arranging at many colleges including the Royal Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, and also the Jamey Aebersold jazz summer school.

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Reviews and Quotes
some things people have said about me
(there are a lot of other things they've said which I can't print here)

 

• "Mark Bassey is a fine tutor and knows how to draw the music out of each student. It was an honor teaching with him at the Jazzwise course"   Jamey Aebersold
• "my Juan Tizol - you're such an original voice"   Mike Gibbs
• "a superb, witty player"   Dave Gelly
• "raucous ..."   John Fordham
• "that boy can play"   Humphrey Lyttelton
• "exquisite sound and perfect phrasing"   Brian Blain
• "Fred Wesley on acid"   anonymous
• "marvellous trombone player, somehow twinkly and fierce at the same time"   Orlando Gough (The Shout)
• "perfect unity (with) Tria Lingvo... convincing interplay... effortlessly adapting himself to his fellow musicians... with moments of immense density and improvisatory skills"   Christel Thielemann, Kolner Stadt Anzeiger

 

from a review of Louise Elliott & The Jazz Hearts at Ronnies Apr 2004

• "... trombonist Mark Bassey ... particularly wired for passion ... rasping with an agile sliding grace"   The Birmingham Post

from a review of Renato D'Aiello at The Vortex Jan 2008

• "... the remarkable trombonist Mark Bassey... is a stylish soloist... His solos on The Peacocks, and Mingus's Jelly Roll, were highlights of the evening"   Jack Massarik, Evening Standard

from a review of The Bone Supremacy at The Chicken Shed Mar 2009

• "Bassey has an irrepressible character, and infectious sense of humour, and an astonishing agility around the instrument"   Sebastian Scotney, London Jazz

CD review of Daphna Sadeh & The Voyagers Reconciliation Apr 2009

• "Queen Of Sheba is a rousing opener... Bassey's insistent trombone... rasping... especially in the tune's more boisterous sections... Avinu ... Bassey shows the more delicate side of his playing in a brief but lyrical solo"   Ian Mann, thejazzman.com

 

    More reviews ...