Mark Winkler hits a home run with his new CD Sweet Spot. The CD has a lot of flavor to it. Whether you are in your car or sitting on the patio or in your living room, this is some really enjoyable music to listen to. Winkler produced the CD and has some outstanding musical talent backing him up, including: Barbara Morrison on guest vocals, Eli Brueggemann on piano, Tim Emmons on bass, Steve Barnes on drums, Bob Sheppard on saxophone and flute, Nolan Shaheed on trumpet, Anthony Wilson on guitar, Luis Conte on percussion, Billy Childs on piano and Kim Richmond on saxophone. There are 12 songs on this CD including a bonus track. They are all very good songs. The songs that stood out for me are: Sweet Spot which is the title tune. It features Barbara Morrison on guest vocals. It has a blues kind of a feel to it. Somewhere in Brazil(West Coast) is kind of a catchy tune. After Hours kind of reminds me of some of the old Boz Scaggs songs. It has a little bit of blues to it and some really good organ playing by Emilio Palame and saxophone work by Sam Riney. Winkler does On Broadway which has a nice little jam session with Kim Richmond on tenor sax and Alex Budman on tenor sax and the end of the song. Some Other Sunset is a nice tune to listen to over and over. It features Peter White on guitar Mark Winkler has a likeable singing style and I really like this CD and if you get the chance, please listen and hopefully add it to your collection --LA Jazz Music Examiner Review By Oscar Brooks June 24, 2011
Sweet Spot is the follow up to Winkler s 2009 CD Till I Get It Right which was chosen as one of the 10 Best Vocal CDs of that year by Jazz Times Magazine. Sweet Spot once again showcases Winkler s skill as a consummate lyricist and singer, but this time features him on 4 standards including On Broadway and But Not For Me, As well as Andre Previn s Like Young and Bobby Troup s Their Hearts Were Full of Spring. The title cut is a Winkler original that is a duet between him and Vocalist Supreme Barbara Morrison, with a guitar solo by Grant Geissman. Always known for the company he keeps, this time he ups the ante with such jazz stars as Billy Childs, Grant Geissman, Bob Sheppard, Greg Hutchinson and Anthony Wilson. As a vocalist, Mark Winkler offers a smooth, hip contemporary sound that has been compared to Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling. With his impeccable phrasing and sure sense of swing, Mark has been pleasing fans at venues on both coasts If Mark Murphy is the reigning king of vocal hipsterism, then Mark Winkler ranks directly behind Kurt Elling among heirs apparent. As a lyricist, he is as consummate a traveler in the world of Dave Frishberg drollness as he is in the land of Cole Porter urbanity. - Christopher Loudon/Jazz Times May 2009 Mark Winkler writes the kind of songs that should provide him with a comfortable spot in the Great American Songbook- if anyone s still interested in melodic, literate and emotionally touching songs. - Don Heckman/LA Times NATIONAL PRESS CAMPAIGN: JIM EIGO, JAZZ PROMO SERVICES, 269 S Route 94, Warwick, NY 10990