Mark Aaron James
Latest News on Mark Aaron James:
Photos: August 8th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In A Chris Ruetten Photo Flash (Aug 15, 2023)
Photos: April 4th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In The Matt Baker Lens (Apr 15, 2023)
Photos: September 13th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER at Birdland Theater by Matt Baker (Sep 20, 2022)
Photos: August 8th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In A Chris Ruetten Photo Flash (Aug 15, 2023)
Photos: April 4th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In The Matt Baker Lens (Apr 15, 2023)
Photos: September 13th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER at Birdland Theater by Matt Baker (Sep 20, 2022)
Mark Aaron James BIO
It's my favorite song about a kleptomaniac girlfriend...Aquaman...a plastic bag, I hope it's yours." That is New York based singer/songwriter Mark Aaron James introducing a few of his quirky takes on universal themes. Borders News labeled these innovative songs, "Some of the best and most introspective pop music we've heard in years."
Born in California and raised in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Mark Aaron James seemed an unlikely candidate for the Nashville songwriter scene. With a strong pop-rock background in tow, he enrolled in Music City's reputable Vanderbilt University. He soon became a popular fixture on the "porch party" circuit that years earlier supported the Indigo Girls, Ben Folds and Hootie and the Blowfish. Mark brought that following into the local venues where the famous "in the rounds" gave him a new challenge. He was now sharing the stage with Nashville's hit writers and realized, "If you don't have a song as good as the writer before and after you, then you're just filler. It really provoked me to focus on craft, along with inspiration." The results lead to co-writes with top songsmiths and his compositions being performed by everyone from Jimmy Buffet to the World Peace Choir.
The year following his critically acclaimed indie release, Mr. Wirehead, Mark was awarded "Best Local Songwriter" and "Best Up and Coming Band" in the The Nashville Scene's Reader's Poll. In the weekly mag, owned by NYC's Village Voice, Mark beat out John Hyatt, Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle and several other luminaries. With the release of his second CD, Adventures With A Plastic Bag, he repeated the feat the following year. The title song from that CD went on to make the top 100 songs of the year on Nashville's WRLT Lightening 100, gained airplay on Atlanta's 99X and was added to 126 CMJ reporting stations, breaking the top ten in 12 markets.
Despite this success, Mark was regularly being reminded that he was a rock singer in a town known for country music. After playing well received shows in New York's Living Room and being featured on PBS's CD Highway and I-Dig's Rawdio programs, Mark decided it was time to make New York City his base.
Moving in 2002, Mark began headlining in venues as varied as the Living Room, Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End and the Westbeth Theater. New York's Underground Music Organization (UMO) voted him one of the "Top 14 Singer/songwriters in Greenwich Village," and featured him as the opening track on their annual CD. With the completion of his next CD, Just a Satellite, Mark's song "June 17th" was included in "Lost."
In January, 2008, Mark was awarded a rare Artist Visa for the UK. It merited a move to London. Mark secured several regular shows throughout Europe and became the host of the "On Stage" acoustic showcase at HALO, the PRS Venue of the Year. His "Live in London, Simple Ingredients" CD was released in early 2010 to rave reviews soon after. During the recording process, Mark also made his West End debut, performing with Alan Cumming in the show "I Bought A Blue Car Today."
Mark returned to NYC in the summer of 2010. The new "Worlds of Warcraft" animated video for his song "Aquaman's Lament" on the "spiffworld" page is currently averaging 2000 hits a day on YouTube and a new CD project, Throwing Shapes, has just been released.
Mark Aaron James Photos
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Mark Aaron James News
Photos: August 8th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In A Chris Ruetten Photo Flash
Chris Ruetten offers Broadway World Cabaret readers a look at THE LINEUP.
Photos: April 4th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER In The Matt Baker Lens
Fresh off of her double MAC Award win and sold out performance of CASHINO, Susie Mosher keeps the quality at The Lineup up to snuff.
Photos: September 13th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER at Birdland Theater by Matt Baker
It was another great week at THE LINEUP and Matt Baker has the photographic evidence.
Photos: April 26th THE LINEUP WITH SUSIE MOSHER at Birdland Theater by Stewart Green
The April 26th edition of The Lineup brought to the Birdland stage a new Sondheim star, everyone's favorite twins, a jazz icon, and a whole lot more.
Music Director Rachel A. Kaufman Plays With Singers & Musicians From All Seven Continents
New York City musician accomplishes an artistic best during the Covid Quarantine by performing with over 100 people, mostly remotely; a cast of friends and former students on all seven continents, concluding with Carter Jones at the McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
BWW Review: New York's Poetry/Cabaret Emerges From The Pandemic & Moves Online WIth Poetry/Cabaret: RENEWED! at FaceBook Live
Frances Ruffelle, Ngwatilo Mawiyoo, and Shalewa Sharpe join the reboot of Poetry/Cabaret: RENEWED, originally slated for April 2020 and now returning online, this variety salon brings together poets and performers to celebrate awakening, longing, and surviving--all in the spirit of entering springtime, emerging from a pandemic, and reaffirming our commitment to a better world. The show features musical performances from Carela & Frances Ruffelle and comedy from Jaye McBride & Shalewa Sharpe.
Poetry/Cabaret Returns With RENEWED!
Frances Ruffelle, Ngwatilo Mawiyoo, and Shalewa Sharpe join the reboot of 'Poetry/Cabaret: RENEWED,' originally slated for April '20 and now returning online. In this 'variety salon,' a multi-genre evening of emotional whiplash, the coffeehouse meets the cabaret as 'Poetry/Cabaret' once again brings together poets and performers in a fast-paced night of stimulating variations on a theme.
The Green Room 42 Presents Poetry/Cabaret: RENEWED!
In this a?oevariety salon,a?? a multi-genre evening of emotional whiplash, the coffeehouse meets the cabaret as a?oePoetry/Cabareta?? (Time Out NY-recommended) once again brings together poets and performers in a fast-paced night of stimulating variations on a theme. The fourth episode of the season, a?oeRENEWED!a??, celebrates awakening, emerging, longing and survivinga?"all in the spirit of entering springtime. Host Thomas March's topical monologue will cover adolescent drunkenness, thwarted lust, and the profound indignities of the woods. The show will feature poetry from Jee Leong Koh & Katherine Barrett Swett, reading from their new collections; music from Carela & Mark Aaron James; and comedy from Whitney Chanel Clark & Jaye McBride. Musical Director Drew Wutke will be on keys.
New York Musical Festival (NYMF) Announces Awards For Excellence; LEAVING EDEN Wins Big
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announced today the winners of the 2019 NYMF Awards for Excellence, which were awarded on Sunday, August 4, 2019 at Sony Hall
New York Musical Festival Announces First Ever NYMF Artist Fellowship
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) has announced the first ever NYMF Artist Fellowship, a two-year program that will be awarded annually to an exceptional artist of note who is changing the landscape of musical theater. The fellowship involves the presentation of a reading or concert in the first year of the fellowship and a full production in the second year.
Joe Iconis Named 2019 New York Musical Festival Honorary Chair
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) has announced that in recognition of his 2019 Tony Award nomination and his history as a NYMF Alum, Joe Iconis (Be More Chill, Broadway Bounty Hunter) will be the 2019 NYMF Honorary Chair.
New York Musical Festival Announces Further Selections For 2019 Festival
The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) is proud to announce further selections for 2019 NYMF, which will take place from July 8 - August 4, 2019 at venues in midtown Manhattan in New York City. Scott Pyne serves as Executive Director and West Hyler serves as Producing Artistic Director.
Tony DeSare, Bridget Barkan and More to Honor Prince at THE MEETING* at Joe's Pub
THE MEETING* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to Joe's Pub at The Public Theater to conclude its Spring 2016 season on Sunday, May 22 at 7:00 PM. The May show will honor the beloved late superstar Prince, with music director Tracy Stark leading a four-piece band and special musical guests Tony DeSare, Bridget Barkan, Michael Cavadias, Mark Aaron James and Ali Grieb.
BWW Review: Urban Stages Winter Rhythms Show Celebrating Famous Duets Is Widely Varied and Entertaining
Described as “An Afternoon of Famous Duets,” Saturday's Urban Stages Winter Rhythms presentation (Day Four of the 11-day, 20-show festival) was unexpectedly sweeping in its approach, covering duos that sang pop, folk, jazz, Great American Songbook, and musical theater tunes. With veteran cabaret singer Sue Matsuki serving as producer and host, and Musical Director Gregory Toroian on piano, the show encompassed both the predictable and the surprising and was a genuine pleasure.
Kenny Mellman and More to Tribute Amy Winehouse in THE MEETING at Joe's Pub, 9/14
The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will return to Joe's Pub at The Public Theater on Sunday, September 14 at 9:30 PM for the launch of its landmark 6th season. The September show will include a tribute to the beloved soul diva Amy Winehouse, featuring special guests Kenny Mellman, Jessica Vosk, Xavier Rice and Mark Aaron James. Tracy Stark serves as the show's Music Director.
Photo Flash: HANDS ON A HARDBODY Cast and Creators Perform at Birdland
The cast and creators of the Tony nominated musical Hands On A Hardbody were cheered and celebrated when they performed at Birdland on Monday night during the weekly Jim Caruso's Cast Party open mic extravaganza. Co-writer Amanda Green (Tony-nominated for her Hardbody work, as well as Bring It On), Tony nominee Keala Settle, as well as Kathleen Monteleone, Jim Newman, and Jay Armstrong Johnson all sang from the show, guaranteeing some future record sales just from the few hundred folks enjoying Cast Party. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!
Photo Coverage: Betsy Wolfe, Tony DeSare and More at BROADWAY BALLYHOO at Feinstein's at Loews Regency
Last night's performance of The Broadway Ballyhoo at Feinstein's (Park & 61st Street) marked the fifth month of this critically acclaimed and popular musical revue series. Betsy Wolfe (Merrily, We Roll Along), Tony DeSare (Nightclub Star), Scott Coulter (The Stephen Schwartz Show) and Mark Aaron James (Guitarist - Singer/Songwriter) starred.
Betsy Wolfe and Co. Set for BROADWAY BALLYHOO Tonight
The creator/producer of The Broadway Ballyhoo, Scott Siegel, announced today that this evening's performance of The Broadway Ballyhoo at Feinstein's (Park & 61st Street) will begin the FIFTH MONTH of this critically acclaimed and popular musical revue series. The show starts at 11pm.
Photo Flash: GODSPELL's Lindsay Mendez, Lisa Lampanelli and More at Jim Caruso's CAST PARTY
Jim Caruso's Cast Party is an extreme open mic that has been running every Monday for the past eight years at Birdland, the historic music room in Manhattan's Theater District. It's also a bi-monthly event at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles. Stars like Martin Short, Carol Channing, Cheyenne Jackson, Michael Feinstein, Liza Minnelli, Melissa Manchester and Tony Bennett have all joined in on the fun and impromptu performances - sharing the stage with Broadway chorus cuties, jazzers and composers.
Photo Flash: Christine Lavin in Concert at Birdland
Taking the stage at the Monday night Broadway at Birdland concert series was renowned folk singer/comedienne Christine Lavin.
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