Mark Lockheart

Mark Lockheart (born Lymington, 1961) is a British jazz tenor saxophonist who came to prominence as a member of the Loose Tubes big band during the 1980s.^[1]

Career

Following the demise of Loose Tubes, Lockheart formed the co-led eclectic jazz/folk quartet Perfect Houseplants with Huw Warren, Dudley Phillips, and Martin France.^[2] The band released five albums including two with The Orlando Consort. At this time Lockheart formed his own group, "The Scratch Band", performing his own compositions. The group recorded two albums, including Imaginary Dances.^[3] In 2005 Lockheart put together his "Big Idea" to record the album Moving Air.^[4]

In 2003, Lockheart joined the British jazz quintet Polar Bear.^[4][5] The group have recorded four albums, including Held on the Tips of Fingers, which was nominated for the Mercury Award and was selected as one of the '100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World' by Jazzwise magazine.

A project of more of Lockheart's own compositions was released in 2009 with the "In Deep" Quintet featuring Liam Noble and Jasper Hoiby.^[6] The next year, Lockheart was awarded Jazz Musician of the Year award at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. His compositions have been recorded with the NDR Big Band.^[7][8]

Ellington in Anticipation was released to critical acclaim in 2013.^[9] As a septet featuring Sebastian Rochford, Tom Herbert, Liam Noble, Margrit Hasler, James Allsopp and Finn Peters, Lockheart completed a UK wide tour^[10] supported by the Arts Council of England.

In July 2014 Lockheart formed the trio 'Malija' with pianist Liam Noble and bassist Jasper Hoiby as a result of a request from the Rochester Jazz Festival in New York. "Malija" released its debut album entitled The Day I Had Everything on the Edition record label in 2015.

Lockheart has also played in sessions with Radiohead, Prefab Sprout, Stereolab amongst many others.

Lockheart teaches at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Royal Academy of Music in London, and is a regular tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective.

Awards and commissions

• 2016: Jazz FM Instrumentalist of the year 2016 ^[11]
• 2014: Jazz Electives Composer 2014, THSH and Birmingham Music Service 'Are We There Yet' commission.^[12]
• 2013: Jazz CD Of The Year 2013 for "Ellington In Anticipation" 'Mojo' magazine
• 2013: Touring grant for the Arts awarded to "Ellington in Anticipation" by the Arts Council of England
• 2010: Jazz Musician of the Year at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards^[13]
• 2005: Touring grant for the Arts awarded to "The Big Idea" by the Arts Council of England
• 2001: Touring grant for the Arts awarded to "Imaginary Dances" by the Arts Council of England
• 1998: Awarded the Peter Whittingham Award for Young Musicians for his album "Through Rose Coloured Glasses"

Discography

As leader

• The Day I Had Everything (Malija) (2015)
• Ellington in Anticipation (2013)
• Days Like These (2010)
• In Deep (2009)
• Moving Air (2005)
• Imaginary Dances (2002)
• Through Rose- Coloured Glasses (1998)
• Matheran (1993)

As sideman

With Polar Bear

• Same as You (2015)
• In Each and Every One (2014)
• Peepers (2010)
• Polar Bear (2008)
• Held on the Tips of Fingers (2007)
• Dim Lit (2005)

With Kenny Wheeler and Norma Winstone

• Mirrors (2013)

With Nikki Iles and Norma Winstone

• The Printmakers – Westerly (2015)

With Perfect Houseplants

• New Folk Songs (2000)
• Extempore II (1999) with The Orlando Consort
• Extempore (1998) with The Orlando Consort
• Snap Clatter (1997)
• Clec (1995)
• Perfect Houseplants (1993)

With Loose Tubes

• Arriving (2015)
• Sad Africa (1989)
• Dancing on Frith Street (1989)
• Open Letter (1988)
• Delightful Precipice (1986)
• Loose Tubes (1985)

With Django Bates

• Summer Fruits (and Unrest) (JMT, 1993)
• Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) (JMT, 1995)

With June Tabor

• A Quiet Eye (1999)
• Aleyn (1997)
• Against The Streams (1994)
• Angel Tiger (1992)

With Huw Warren

• God Only Knows (2005)
• Hundreds of Things a Boy Can Make (1998)
• Barrel Organ Far from Home (1997)

With Jasper Høiby

• Fellow Creatures (2016)

With others

• Colin Towns, Drawing Breath (2013)
• Colin Towns, Blue Touch Paper (2011)
• Disassembler, Disassembler (2005)
• John Parricelli, Alba (2000)
• Radiohead, Kid A (2000)
• Sin É, Deep Water Dropoff (1999)
• Stereolab, Fluoresences (1996)
• High Llamas, Hawaii (1996)
• Jah Wobble, Rising Above Bedlam (1991)
• Prefab Sprout, Steve McQueen (1985)

References

External links

• Mark Lockheart's website