Mark Soskin

A longtime sideman, most notably with Sonny Rollins, Mark Soskin has only had rare opportunities to lead his own sessions. He began taking piano lessons when he was seven. Although he later considered Cedar Walton to be his most important influence, Soskin actually spent his teenage years playing often with R&B bands. He studied classical music at Colorado State University in 1971 but transferred to the Berklee School of Music the following year. In 1975, he moved to San Francisco where he worked with Azteca, Joe Henderson, Bill Summers, Pete Escovedo, and Billy Cobham, touring with the CBS All-Stars, a group that also included Cobham, Tom Scott, Steve Khan, and Alphonso Johnson. During 1978-'90 and occasionally afterwards, Soskin was a member of Sonny Rollins' band, recording many sets with the great tenor. Since then he has remained active in the San Francisco Bay area. Soskin has recorded several dates as a leader, including Rhythm Vision for Prestige (1979), and Solo Piano for Vartan Jazz (1996).