Mark was born and raised in Lynwood, California where he showed early talent on piano, trombone, and drums. He graduated from California State University, Long Beach (Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music), where he was recipient of the Carmen Dragon Fellowship for composition. Mark's piano influences are diverse: Vince Guaraldi, Keith Jarrett, Dave Grusin, Joe Sample, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk, George Winston, Fats Waller, and more.
Mark Massey has performed throughout the U.S., Europe, the former Soviet Union, Russia, the Far East and India. He has worked with Larry Carlton, David Benoit, Paul Horn, Poncho Sanchez, Hubert Laws, the Side Street Strutters, Phil Upchurch, L. Subramaniam, and the late, great Louie Bellson, Freddie Hubbard, Maynard Ferguson, Yehudi Menuhin, Ray Brown, Stéphane Grappelli, and Tony Williams.
"Mark Massey is awfully good. His friendly, lyrical, melodic piano has a sound unto itself, bop and post-bop influenced, contemporarily informed, and languishing solidly in the modern mainstream."
-MICHAEL G. NASTOS, ALL MUSIC GUIDE
"Mark Massey is an excellent straight-ahead pianist who often appears in the L.A. area. ...his playing is consistently appealing."
-SCOTT YANOW (author of the books "Swing" and " Bebop : The Essential Listening Companion")
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