Mark Maxwell - Saxophonist, Performer

I'll start with my most impressive stat: I've sold over a half a million CDs. Here's my second most impressive stat: all the great 'Listener Love' I get from my fans.

For the past 15 years or so, I've been recording and selling CDs at street fairs and art shows, mainly out here on the Left Coast, and as you can see, I've had some real success. (I'm thinking I must be one of the best selling saxophonists in the world. Surely those kind of sales put me in the top .001%, wouldn't you think?)

There's a good chance you've never heard of me though, because I'm not sold in record stores and I don't get much mainstream airplay.

Mark Maxwell I've been playing the saxophone for 43 years, since I was 9 years old, in fact. I started playing in the fifth grade band. I had a transformational experience in high school, playing lead alto in the award-winning 'Wildsiders' jazz ensemble.

I've always played lots of different instruments - guitar, drums, piano, flute - but sax has always been my main thing. (Of course, the instrument I spend the most time on is the computer, because as everybody knows, recording music is all about computers.)

I like to say that I've got sax in my blood - my Mom played the sax when she was a kid, my older sister played in school, and my younger brother, Phil, is a professional saxophonist (and screamin' player) to this day.

I started composing and recording back in the early 90s and I discovered I have a natural talent for it. I've been thoroughly addicted to it ever since. Composing and recording in my home studio is the one activity that, for me, is all-consuming and timeless.

People ask me all the time who I've played with, and I say probably nobody you would know. I did audition with Tower Of Power, and I've been on stage with Joe Cocker. But I like to say that I play with people that play with people that you know, people like Garth Webber (Miles Davis, Robben Ford, Boz Scaggs, Bonnie Raitt), Tony Lufrano (Elvin Bishop, Taj Mahal, Todd Rundgren), Steve Weingart (Chaka Khan, Eric Marienthal, Ernie Watts, Warren Hill, John Pattituci, Dave Weckl), Red Young (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Sonny & Cher, Dolly Parton, Eric Burdon), Mike Valerio (Los Angeles Philharmonic), Craig Woods (Ray Charles, Brian Seltzer) and many others.

Oh, and I played the National Anthem at the Laker a couple of times. That was a huge thrill for me, 'cause I'm a huge Laker fan.

It's my dharma in life to be a saxophonist and performer. My Mission: To Assist in the Uplifting of the Spirit of Humankind through the Judicious Use of Saxophones, in other words, to help folks feel good.

The saxophone has great power to heal when it's played right - admit it, you just feel better when you hear it don't you? It is my sincere hope that the music that comes through me uplifts you, relaxes you, romances you, enlightens you, enlivens you, and otherwise just makes you feel good.

Groove, Baby.