For decades, Mark Hennen has been in the epicenter of New York City’s avant-garde jazz scene. Hennen, a world-renowned pianist, and sound pioneer have worked in the music industry for nearly half a century. He has played as a soloist as well as a member of renowned ensembles such as Collective 4tet, Earth People, and his current outfit Piano Duo Trio.
Mark Hennen has created an astonishing amount of new stuff in the last year. He and his Piano Duo Trio colleague Jackson Krall and John Blum are pushing the boundaries of a musical genre that already thrives at the extremes of artistic creativity.
Mark Hennen’s latest composition, “Mark Solo,” is significantly more exploratory and virtuosic. The record sounds a little crazy, a little wayward, a huge kerfuffle that leaves you feeling pretty blindsided and out of breath right away. Mark Hennen goes rides solo on the song, entirely in control and presenting a completely engrossing, somewhat tribal, and tactile combination of high adrenaline experimental jazz sounds.
He maintains a high-intensity level for most of the play. As intricate melodies flow in and out of syncopated rhythms and sub-rhythms, each note is percussive. A trippy atmosphere emerges from the pounding wall of music. Although the tone softens, the musical brilliance does not. Layers of sound exist within layers of sound.
“Mark Solo,” Mark Hennen’s most recent release, will be available on all major streaming sites on February 10, 2022. The 26-minute piece sees the pianist riding alone and at the top of his game as he offers up a wild set of melodic and rhythmic exploration. It was recorded live at Piano Magic in New York City.
Listen to “Mark Solo” by Mark Hennen on Spotify and let us know what you think. Cheers!
