Mark Lewis Quartet

Mark Lewis (www.marklewismusic.com) is a well-traveled alto saxophonist and flutist who has created a vast and intensely stimulating body of music over the past four-plus decades, and enlivened jazz scenes from Seattle and San Francisco to Rotterdam and Paris.   Boasting a multifaceted career stretching back to the mid-70s, Lewis has also thrived as a producer, engineer, educator and entrepreneur.  Born in Tacoma and raised on a farm outside Gig Harbor, Lewis absorbed music from both sides of his family (including his concert pianist paternal grandmother and his saxophonist maternal grandfather).  Excelling at all levels of school (forming his first band at age 14), Lewis studied at Western Washington and Cornish Institute, followed by associating with Seattle resident masters. Legally blind, he hasn’t allowed his disability to slow him down, traveling the world and establishing deep creative bonds wherever he’s landed.  In 1978 the 20-year-old saxophonist flew to Europe with a one-way ticket and his alto sax, $500 in his pocket and virtually no contacts.  He ended up making Rotterdam his homebase for the next 14 years and established himself as a vital force on the international jazz scene, maintaining three working Dutch groups.  Returning to the states, Lewis became a vital part of the San Francisco Bay Area scene, subbing for sax stars Stan Getz and John Handy and collaborating with heavyweights like Bobby Hutcherson and Randy Brecker.   Now based in Bremerton, Lewis maintains a busy schedule that includes teaching private students and college clinics.   He continues to expand his daunting book of compositions, now numbering over 1700 in addition to 30 albums.   Appearing with Lewis is Randy Halberstadt on piano, Phil Sparks on bass and Bob Merrihew on drums.  Don’t miss a fabulous evening of jazz in the beautiful confines of Marine View.