Mark Mullins

Mark Mullins has made a reputation for himself in New Orleans as a multi-faceted musician who like a chameleon, fits perfectly in many situations without compromising his integrity. Mark began studying trombone at age eight, and at 13 had his own Dixieland band performing in Mardi Gras parades. The trombonists in the original Dukes of Dixieland and rock group Chicago were influential in his development as a young trombonist and later on jazz players like Carl Fontana and J.J. Johnson were influential. His musical interests expanded through high school and college where he studied classical and jazz by day, and kept busy performing, writing and recording within the New Orleans music scene by night. In 1990, Mark was offered a post graduate scholarship to The Manhattan School of Music, but decided instead to accept Harry Connick Jr.'s offer to join his new Big Band. With Connick, Mark toured the world and appeared in front of countless national TV audiences including the Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Conan O'Brien show and was a featured soloist on Connick's Sony Home Video Release, Swinging Out Live. Mark appears on numerous platinum and multi platinum releases by Connick including Blue Light Red Light, When My Heart Finds Christmas and She. After years of recording and touring with Connick, Mark returned to New Orleans to find many projects awaiting him. Tori Amos, Sheryl Crow and George Porter Jr. all recorded their horn sections with Mark's signature sound and solid arrangements while Mark also appears on recordings of Better Than Ezra, Rancid, Dag and Joe Henry. Around New Orleans, it was his work with local funk bands George Porter Jr. and the Runnin' Pardners and Galactic which helped Mark gain notoriety as a powerful soloist and figure in the local New Orleans music scene. In 1998 Mark launched MuleBone, an original rock band with local producer/keyboardist John Gros which has received critical acclaim for taking the trombone into uncharted territory as a lead instrument. As a singer songwriter and frontman of MuleBone, Mark showcases yet another side to his talents that often go unseen in most musical arenas he is involved with as a trombonist. MuleBone recently received a Big Easy Award and Offbeat Music award for Best Rock band in New Orleans. In 1998-99 Mark hosted a regular night at Tipitina's music club in the French Quarter assembling exotic and eclectic variations of local talent. This night served as a springboard for Mullins' other original acts such as "Bonerama" (a stage full of trombones playing brass band music) and "A Night Of Led Zeppelin" featuring prominent musicians from various New Orleans musicalcircles performing interpretations on the songs of the famed rock legends. All in all Mark's integrity shines through in whatever he tackles and his contributions to any musical situation has commanded the respect of his peers.