Gary Marks

Who is Gary Marks?

Gary Marks is a modern rock songwriter, novelist, lead vocalist, rock and jazz pianist, and guitarist. Marks has arranged and produced dozens of records throughout his career. His most recent album, No Turning Back, was released in April 2013.

Marks gained initial popularity in the 1970s in New York and California with albums such as Gathering, Upon Oanda’s Wing, and Thoughts of Why. Decades later, all three recordings were dubbed “folk-rock classics” by the international press when they were re-released in Europe and Asia starting in 2006.

The players on Marks’ first three recordings included guitarist John Scofield, virtuoso horn player Paul McCandless of “Oregon,” pianist Art Lande, trumpet player and film score writer Mark Isham, vibraphonist David Samuels, and pianist Michael Cochrane.

Scofield, Samuels, and Cochrane played on Marks’ first album, Gathering, which was self-produced by Marks in 1973. It was the recording debut for each artist, propelling them forward in their respective careers. European record label Kindred Spirits announced, “It is now considered a classic–a totally unique amalgam of folk-rock-jazz that seems to get richer and more powerful through the years.”