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Grammy award-winning drummer/percussionist/composer/educator Mark Walker was born in Chicago, Illinois.  He began playing drumset at age ten and played his first professional club, concert and recording gigs barely out of high school.  He gained valuable experience performing an extremely wide range of styles in the Chicago area and later became a first-call session drummer and percussionist, playing on hundreds of jingles and record dates. While still living in Chicago in the 1990’s, he began a long stint with sax/clarinet virtuoso Paquito D’Rivera, which continues to this day.  He also toured for two years with Lyle Mays.

Since moving to New York in 1995, he has performed extensively and recorded with: Oregon, Paquito D’Rivera, Rosa Passos, Michel Camilo, Caribbean Jazz Project, Dave Samuels, Andy Narell, David Liebman, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Diane Schuur, Linda Eder, Cathy Richardson, Ivan Lins and many more. 

He has also performed onstage with major artists such as Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Mike Manieri, Airto Moreira, Don Alias, Flora Purim, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr., Chu Cho Valdes, Amadito Valdes,  Bebo Valdes, Sakesho, Eliane Elias, Jerry Gonzalez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Jovino Santos Neto, Chano Dominguez, Diane Reeves, João Bosco and Leny Andrade.

He has appeared on major television shows such as: “Late Night with David Letterman”, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”, “PBS presents…” and “BET On Jazz”. He also appears on screen with Paquito D’Rivera in Fernando Trueba’s Latin jazz documentary “Calle 54”(Miramax). 

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He was appointed Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston (2001) creating a new curriculum, serving on the Education committee and teaching drummers, percussionists and ensembles. He has also served on the faculty at Drummers Collective in New York City. Mark has given master classes, clinics and workshops in South America, North America and Europe. 

As an author he’s written for the all-star instructional drum set book “Killer Grooves” published by Carl Fischer. He is currently working on a book for Berklee press tentatively titled “World Jazz Drumming”. His solo projects include the sample/loop discs “Chameleon Drums, Vol 1 & 2”(Sonic Emulations) and “Ritmo De Las Americas”(Sampleheads).  He has also composed and arranged for the group Oregon, the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet, Bob McGrath and David Onderdonk. 

He has won 3 Grammy Awards and earned several Grammy nominations for his work with various artists, including Oregon, Donato Poveda, Paquito D’Rivera and Caribbean Jazz Project.  He is currently nominated for two Grammy awards, one for best instrumental composition (for the track “Deep Six” from Oregon’s CD “1000 Kilometers”) and best Latin jazz album as a drummer/composer with the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet.  Mark has also earned the Indie award and the Jazz award (German record manufacturers) for his work with Oregon.

Mark Walker is a Yamaha, Paiste, Remo, Vic Firth and LP artist.He currently lives in the Boston Metrowest area with his family, teaching at Berklee, writing, recording and touring.

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