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Mark Isham

Mark Isham has received Grammy and Emmy awards, as well as Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. He is an electronic music innovator, musician, and prolific film composer. He has performed worldwide and collaborated with celebrated artists in multiple genres including Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, Brian De Palma, Frank Darabont, John Ridley, Jodi Foster, and Robert Altman.

Isham’s inimitable musical voice can be heard on over one hundred film and TV scores including A River Runs Through It, the Oscar-winning Crash, and The Black Dahlia. Additionally, A River Runs Through It and Men of Honor both received Grammy nominations. Other film credits include Eight Below, The Cooler, Nell, Warrior, Dolphin Tale, The Secret Life of Bees, the Jackie Robinson biopic 42, and Gavin O’Connor’s The Accountant. Mark’s most recent film score, Duck Duck Goose with animation veteran and first-time director Chris Jenkins (The Lion King, Aladdin), is set to come out in 2018. Mark’s TV credits include ABC’s Once Upon a Time, now in its seventh season, and John Ridley’s Emmy Award-winning ABC drama American Crime, as well as his documentary Let it Fall, gathering well deserved Oscar buzz. Current works include Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning show Black Mirror, directed by Jodie Foster, Electric Dreams, Marvel’s upcoming show Cloak & Dagger and the epic war drama Instrument of War (Adam Thomas Anderegg).

Mark Isham’s signature sound is represented on albums of music icons including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ziggy Marley, Joni Mitchell, The Rolling Stones, Chris Isaak, and Van Morrison. Mark won a Grammy for his Virgin Records release, Mark Isham and was awarded the highest honor for a composer by The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), the prestigious Henry Mancini Career Achievement Award for musical excellence. He continues to display a boundless ability to electrify listeners with his talent for crafting evocative new musical works in varying genres and mediums.

You can now stream Mark's latest jazztronica album CoverART on Spotify.

Awards

2015 ◦ Black Reel Awards – Nominated Outstanding Score for “Beyond the Lights” 2014 ◦ Black Reel Awards – Nominated Outstanding Score for “42” 2013 ◦ BMI Award – “Once Upon A Time” ◦ BMI Award – “The Lucky One” 2012 ◦ Honorary President of Transatlantyk Film Festival in Poznan, Poland ◦ International Film Music Festival in Cordoba, Spain – President ◦ Career Achievement Award at the Burbank International Film Festival ◦ ASCAP Award – Top TV Series for Once Upon A Time 2011 ◦ HMMA Best Film Score – Warrior ◦ Jerry Goldsmith Award from Ubeda International Film Music Festival 2010 ◦ GZ Film Festival – Best Original Score – The Crazies 2008 ◦ International Film Music Critics Association Award – Nominated for Film Composer of the Year ◦ International Film Music Critics Association Award – Nominated for Film Music Composition of the Year for “Last Shift” from Lions for Lambs 2007 ◦ Hollywood Film Festival Award – Won Composer of the Year Award ◦ International Film Music Critics Association Award – Won for Best Score for a Drama Film for The Black Dahlia ◦ ASCAP Film and Television Music Award – Won for Top Box Office Films for Eight Below ◦ International Film Music Critics Association Award – Nominated for Film Score of the Year for The Black Dahlia 2006 ◦ ASCAP Film and Television Music Award – Received the Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement ◦ Vision Award – Won Composer of Vision Award for Crash 2005 ◦ AFI Award – Won for Crash 2002 ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Men of Honor 2000 ◦ ASCAP Film and Television Music Award – Won for Top TV Series for Family Law 1999 ◦ ASCAP Film and Television Music Award – Won for Top Box Office Films for Blade 1998 ◦ Emmy Award – Nominated for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for Nothing Sacred 1997 ◦ Emmy Award – Won for Outstanding Main Title Theme for EZ Streets 1996 ◦ Emmy Award – Nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music for Chicago Hope 1995 ◦ Emmy Award – Nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Main Title Theme Music for Chicago Hope ◦ Golden Globe – Nominated Best Original Score – Motion Picture for Nell 1994 ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television for A River Runs Through It ◦ Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films – Nominated for Saturn Award, Best Music for Fire in the Sky 1993 ◦ Academy Award – Nominated for Best Music, Original Score for A River Runs Through It 1992 ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best Album for Children for The Emperor’s New Clothes ◦ Movieline Great Movie Music Award – Won 1990 ◦ Grammy Award – Won for Best New Age Album for Mark Isham 1989 ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best New Age Performance for Tibet ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best Album for Children for Thumbelina 1988 ◦ Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award – Won Best Music for The Moderns ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best New Age Performance for Castalia ◦ Grammy Award – Nominated for Best Album for Children for The Emperor and the Nightingale

Michal Urbaniek, Jan Hammer, Lee Ritenour, Eddie Henderson and Adam holzman

by Len Davis
September 15, 2024

From the '70s Michal Urbaniak, Jan Hammer, Lee Ritenour, Eddie Henderson and The Tony Williams Lifetime. Trumpeter Mark Isham, Adam Holzman, drummer Rene Engel and Scott Henderson. Playlist Michal Urbaniak “Kuyaviak Goes Funky" from Fusion 3 (Columbia) 00:00 Jan Hammer “Bambu Forest" from Oh Yeah/em> (Nemperor) 08:26 Mark Isham “Right Off" from Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Sessions (Record Label) 16:52 Lee Ritenour “Captain Fingers" from Captain Fingers (Epic) 25:18 Eddie Henderson “Sunburst" from Sunburst (Blue Note) 33:44 ...

Album Review

Michael Wolff: Live at Vitellos

Read "Live at Vitellos" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky

by Dan Bilawsky
March 1, 2021

As time stretches the fabric of reality, what with venues closed or operating under incredibly restrictive mandates since March of 2020, it's starting to feel like it's been a decade since we've been able to gather in the quiets of a club to take in a rapturous set of music. So it's only fitting that this ten-year-old gem should drop into the world at this juncture, giving pause to bemoan what's been lost and appreciate a music found.

Rediscovery

Mark Isham: Blue Sun

by John Kelman
August 24, 2016

Mark IshamBlue SunColumbia Records1995 Better-known, perhaps, for his work in the film arena as scorer for movies including 1986's The Hitcher, the 1992 reboot of Of Mice and Men and 1998's Blade, Mark Isham has, nevertheless, demonstrated his instrumental prowess as a trumpeter on albums including pianist Art Lande's Rubisa Patrol (ECM, 1976), singer/songwriter Van Morrison's Beautiful Vision (Warner Bros., 1982), David Sylvian's Brilliant Trees (Virgin, 1984), David Torn's Cloud About Mercury (ECM, 1987) and ...

119

Album Review

Mark Isham: Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project

by C. Michael Bailey
August 1, 1999

Miles Davis 1926 - 1991. Gone these eight years (hard to believe), Miles Davis continues to compel tribute recordings. These include Herbie Hancock, et al.’s A Tribute to Miles (Warner Brothers); Benny Golson’s I Remember Miles (Evidence); Shirley Horn’s I Remember Miles (Verve); Keith Jarrett’s Bye Bye Blackbird (EMI); Cassandra Wilson’s I Travelin’ Miles (Blue Note); Endless Miles (NK2), and Carl Allen’s The Dark Side of Dewey (Evidence), just to mention a few. It seems that as these tributes are ...

205

Album Review

Mark Isham: Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project

by Douglas Payne
June 1, 1999

Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project was, perhaps, inevitable. Trumpeter and composer Mark Isham has always displayed a predilection toward the moody melodicism Miles Davis conveyed in his electric works. But Isham is a far more methodical, constructive player and his themes (especially evident in his jazz scores to films like Afterglow ) hark to something a bit more aching and sadder than Miles's portraits of anger and defiance.Since Isham records for the same label where Miles made ...

149

Performance / Tour

Michael Wolff to Record Live CD with Mark Isham, Mike Clark, John B. Williams; Dan Wallin to Engineer

Source: Seth Cohen PR
August 11, 2011

Michael Wolff to Record Live Album with Mark Isham, Mike Clark and John B. Williams at Vitello's in Studio City, August 30th & 31st Legendary Dan Wallin to be Live Engineer; Varied Material on Wolff CD to Include “Many Tunes Identified with Miles Davis" KCRW: “Wolff is a pianistic treasure...a virtuoso musician" Acclaimed jazz pianist Michael Wolff will record a live album at Vitello's in Studio City, California on August 30th and 31st. Wolff will be joined by the world-famous ...
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146

Performance / Tour

Michael Wolff Plays Vitello's, Joined by Mark Isham, Mike Clark, More

Source: Seth Cohen PR
February 21, 2011

MICHAEL WOLFF JOINED BY MARK ISHAM, MIKE CLARK—UPCOMING SHOWS IN LA Michael Wolff Heads to West Coast for March 25th and April 15th Concerts at Vitello's in Studio City The Acclaimed Pianist Will be Joined by Mike Clark, John B. Williams and Bob Sheppard on 3/25 On 4/15, Renowned Trumpeter Mark Isham Will Join Wolff, Along with Michael Barsimanto and John B. Williams VILLAGE VOICE: “Well versed in the subtleties of r&b, the pianist flecks lots of his work with ...
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132

Performance / Tour

Mark Isham Live at the Apple Store

Source: All About Jazz
September 20, 2009

Live at the Apple Store: Mark Isham

Grammy Award‒winning trumpet player and Oscar-nominated film composer Mark Isham provided music for the upcoming films “Fame" and “Bad Lieutenant." See Mark and his band, Houston Street, at this special live performance and hear songs from his latest album, Bittersweet, a collection of timeless jazz standards.

Join Mark Isham and his band, Houston Street, for a special live show. September 20, 3:00 p.m. Apple Computer Store on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa ...
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304

Interview

Mark Isham Interview - New Album "Bittersweet"

Source: All About Jazz
May 3, 2009

Mark Isham talks about his work in film and “The Black Dhalia" Project

The interview is part of the book project “under your skin" which will include Interviews with: Anthony Braxton, Ornette Coleman, Cindy Blackman, Taj Mahal, Yusef Lateef, Matt Waugh, Bob James, Skip Mcdonald, Erika Stucky, Living Colour, Dj Rob Swift, Marilyn Crispell, Dick Griffin, Billy Bang, Kahil El Zabaar, Michael Ricci - All About Jazz, Val-Inc, Chico Freeman, Esperanza Spalding, Eddie Henderson, Dinosaur Jr, Lydia Lunch, Jack Dejohnette, ...
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“It’s absolutely thrilling to hear Mark do, what he does best. I’ve become so accustomed to his fantastic film scores you can forget he’s one of the best living trumpet players. His playing is better than ever and wow on the reharmonizations and arrangements. Absolutely killer stuff.” BT, musician, and composer currently working on an episode of Netflix’s Electric Dreams with Mark.

“Mark is a man who really lives his craft. One of the most attractive features about Mark is that he knows how to keep the music subtle, but still support the drama. Mark does that so beautifully.” Robert Redford, who worked with Isham on four features: Quiz Show, A River Runs Through It, Lions for Lambs and The Conspirator.