Album Notes

Industry Buzz about "On the Mark":

"This is a wonderful CD!" - WBCX, Gainesville, GA

"Great album!" - WBCP, Champaign, IL

"Great Song!"(Steppin' Up) - KJZS, Reno, NV

"I love records like this..."
~Jeff Charney (ContemporaryJazz.com)

".... The CD is full of nice surprises ...'On The Mark' is a well crafted collection that deserves to hold its own in the ultra competitive market of smooth jazz saxophone."
~Denis Poole (smoothvibes.com)

".... The sound is so very genuine lyrically; the vision of these guys jamming together becomes extremely real intuitively. Without a doubt, the intensity and spirit of Mark Hollingsworth is automatically transferred over to anyone within earshot of this CD."
~Sheldon T. Nunn (JazzReview.com)

"This brand new debut solo release is ON THE MARK, literally and figuratively, with all of the ingredients you're looking for in a hit Smooth Jazz album. Great melodies, solid grooves, polished, top-drawer musicianship and production, plus that extra hard-to-define aura, that sense of passion and confidence that tells you that Mark really knows what he's doing here, and understands how to touch the Smooth Jazz listener on a visceral level. He's got it! This is as surefire a Smooth Jazz hit as you're ever going to find."
~Scott O'Brien (SmoothJazz.com)
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After years of working as a Los Angeles studio musician and being influenced by working with musical legends ranging from Stevie Wonder to Santana, Ray Charles to Quincy Jones, Mark Hollingsworth has teamed up with veteran writer producer James Wirrick, for Mark's debut solo album. "With nine sparkling originals that include keyboardist Dan Siegel as a special guest on one, and an awesome Tower of Power-'esque cover of L.T.D.'s "Back in Love Again", ON THE MARK is what today's dynamic sounding Smooth Jazz is and should be all about."

No rookie to the Smooth Jazz scene, Mark has recorded with Dan Siegel, performed at festivals around the country with other artists including Grant Geisman and was featured with the Greg Adams band for almost 3 years. While touring, Mark was initially struck by the crowds who attended many of the Smooth Jazz concerts. "I was really inspired when I started playing many of the festivals. I couldn't believe how responsive these crowds were to our music. People would often come up to me after a show and tell me how much they were affected." Many people asked Mark if he had his own solo album, so soon it became his top priority.

"On the Mark" is rich in musical energy and scope, allowing the listener to discover something new each time they play a song from it. Mark's playing has an intensity and depth that listeners can immediately identify and relate to. He knows how to engage and connect with the audience creating a dynamic, soulful energy that pulls the listener in.