Mark Isham Biography

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MARK ISHAM (Composer) has always had a talent for crafting evocative new musical worlds. His love of fresh, innovative sonic palettes and his gift for unforgettable melodies have created a signature sound that's memorable, yet constantly evolving. This personal passion for music has earned Isham many awards including a Grammy, an Emmy, and a Clio, in addition to multiple Grammy, Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his material both as a composer and a recording artist.

Isham's musical versatility is evident in his memorable scores for such notable films as "Crash" (recently named Best Soundtrack of 2005 by Cinescape.com), “Eight Below," "Running Scared," "The Cooler," "A River Runs Through It,” “Blade,” “Nell,” “Men of Honor," and "Miracle.” He has composed over 70 film scores, exploring a wide range of musical styles - in addition to the "traditional" orchestral approach, he has incorporated modern minimalism, big band swing, avant-garde jazz, Americana, world music, ambient electronica and other elements that defy categorization.

As an accomplished trumpet player, Mark has added his unique sound - melodic, moody, sexy and cool - to a wide variety of genres. His solo recordings span from electric jazz and classic acoustic jazz to New Age and ethnic world music. He has collaborated with some of the top artists in the music business, and his classic trumpet voice has graced the albums of such diverse artists as Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ziggy Marley, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Chris Isaak, and Van Morrison.

Mark's solo albums have received critical acclaim all over the world. He received Grammy nominations for his albums “Castalia" and “Tibet" and a win for his Virgin Records release, “Mark Isham.” The "London Times" named “Miles Remembered" as “Best Jazz Album of 1999”. And his CD Blue Sun was called “one of the most emotive new albums of the year” (Time Out) and was chosen by Downbeat Magazine as one of the Top 100 Jazz Albums of the Decade.

From his days as a pioneer of electronic music in the `80s to his current status as a world-renowned film composer, Mark Isham continues to be one of the most prolific and provocative artists on the scene. With 2006 already in full swing, he is as busy as ever with more film projects and an upcoming solo album. For his latest solo venture, combining his haunting sense of melody, his expertise with electronics, hard driving rhythms and quirky harmonies, Mark Isham is reinventing his musical landscape once again.