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| Mark Rapp Returns Home to the Carolinas  Mark Rapp and Branford Marsalis will present an exciting Jazz Brunch at this year's Southern Exposure Festival in Greenville, SC on September 16. Downbeat Magazine hailed SC-raised trumpeter Mark Rapp as one of the current Top Emerging Jazz Trumpeters. Now living in New York City, Rapp says “I'm very excited and honored to be performing back home.” This will be Mark's second year performing for Southern Exposure's Jazz Brunch. Last year he also played alongside celebrated Chef Iverson Brownell during the festival's Food & Music seminars.“It was like Emeril Live,” Rapp said, “There was live cooking, live music, and a live explanation of both - except I bet you Chef Brownell's southern cooking was better!” Edwin McCain, co-host of Southern Exposure, also participated in last year's event with local chef and restaurant owner, Steve Leitch. You can catch the Mark Rapp Group playing at Restaurant O on Thursday and Friday nights (September 13, 14) to gear up for the weekend's events. On Saturday, you'll find them participating in the Food & Music seminars and the Sunday Jazz Brunch has Mark playing 2 sets, one before and one after Branford Marsalis. “I'm very thrilled to be playing on the same stage as Branford. To my ears, he's the greatest jazz musician around. I can not wait until that brunch performance!” Raised in SC, Rapp attended Winthrop University where he had a most propitious meeting with Wynton Marsalis, which led him to study under Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans and earned a Masters in Jazz. Rapp said, “Growing up in SC gave me a solid foundation. And now, having lived in a few different places, I appreciate it [SC] more than ever.” A few years ago, when Darius Rucker released his R&B solo effort, Rapp performed in his touring band. Having attended the annual “Monday after the Masters” charity for years, Mark has had the opportunity to play with Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel. “Darius has so much soul - I can't say enough about how much I enjoy his voice. And Edwin is one bad cat... his passion screams through his music. I'm just trying to be apart of this rich Carolina tradition.” Rapp recently recorded his debut effort under the supportive eye of Grammy Award winning producer Jason Olaine and hip-hop engineer “LB” Dorsey who works with the Roots and Beyonce. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |