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Mark McKergow

Saxophonist, clarinetist and writer living in Edinburgh, Scotland

About Me

Mark McKergow is one of the most versatile jazz saxophonists in Scotland. He’s played everything from New Orleans, swing, bop, big band to free improvisation, writes for UK Jazz News and currently performs with the Sound Of Seventeen Big Band, Lauders Big Band and Shunpike Social Club. He is also a recovering (nearing retirement) physicist and management consultant and the author of books on coaching and organizational change. Way back in the 1990s Mark led UltraSound, a 19-piece contemporary jazz orchestra based in Bristol. They were supported by the Arts Council of England and performed at London's South Bank Centre (twice) and the Glastonbury Festival. In the 2010s he hosted the late-night jam sessions at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and welcomed the likes of Chris Potter, Jason Moran, Gregory Porter, Buddy Greco and a host of British stars to the stand. These days Mark enjoys supporting the wave of top-class jazz musicians emerging from Scotland. He is a Friend of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and supports an annual jazz prize awared by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

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Theme Song

My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo of 1969. It wasn't really jazz - a Canadian marching band appeared doing the Glenn Miller version of St Louis Blues March. The hairs on the back of my nine-year-old neck stood up and I had this elevating feeling - I just didn't want it to stop. In fact I badgered my parents to take me (and my sister) to the show a second time (they did) and to buy the LP of the show (they did - I wore it out). The I started listing to more recognisable jazz - the British 'trad boom' of the 1960s (Kenny Ball, Humphrey Lyttleton) then singers like Cleo Laine and George Melly. We had a school 'jazz band' playing dixieland arrangements and I (clarinet) was the only one to attempt improvising rather than playing the written solo. I then found John Coltrane's Blue Train in the local record library - that's the start of another story...

My House Concert Story

The Edinburgh Soundhouse organisation promote house concerts through the year. These are mostly folk music, the traditional form in Scotland, but there are occasional jazz performances too. I went along to and thoroughly enjoyed the David Gordon Trio. I knew David (or Dave, as he was then) from my younger days in Bristol in the 1980s, and here was as large as life and still performing magical piano jazz with a rhythm section. The atmosphere was welcoming and supportive, the music first-class and it was great to be so up-close to the musicians. In fact, when David was asked what his favourite thing about Edinburgh was, he replied "Doing house concerts!".