Mark Lamson
Sol e Mar / San Diego State University - United States

Overview

Mark Lamson is a highly acclaimed percussionist, drum set player, ensemble director, recording artist, producer, educator, and clinician. Over the last 20 years, Mark has developed into one of the region’s most recognized authorities on Cuban and Brazilian drumming. Mark’s musical range spans over several dozen percussion instruments and musical styles, ranging from sacred Afro-Cuban hand drumming to Brazilian carnival styles to Latin jazz drum set.

Mark’s career is highlighted by his many travels to perform and study in Cuba, Mexico and Brazil. He has had the opportunity to both tour and study extensively with dozens of master drummers. In Brazil, Mark has studied with Jorge Alabé, Miguel do Repinique, Boca Rum, and Zero. In Cuba, Mark completed a formal apprenticeship with renowned master drummers Regino Jiménez (1948-2005) and Esteban Vega Bacallao (1925-2007), better known as “Cha-Chá.” With over seven recordings and countless performances to his credit, one of Mark’s greatest achievements to date has been the creation, recording, and performance of the album “Bata Ketu” with San Francisco musician and educator, Michael Spiro. Conceived as an innovative fusion and interplay of Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian religious and secular music, Mark and Michael produced the CD in 1996, recognized around the world as a first of its kind.

Mark has served for ten years as a faculty member and educator for California Brazil Camp and Humboldt State University’s Explorations in Afro-Cuban Drum and Dance, the most prestigious and authentic workshops of this nature in the United States. He has also served as studio and ensemble faculty at Santa Clara University in San Jose, CSU Long Beach, Palomar College, and San Diego State University. He has been a guest lecturer and conducted clinics at UCSD, UCLA, Portland State University, Wisconsin State University, Lawrence University, Tulane University, and numerous workshops around the country. Mark performs and records with a variety of groups in southern California with styles ranging from funk to Latin Jazz and teaches workshops, clinics and private students. Mark is currently the Director of Sol e Mar, a pioneering Brazilian/Latin music collective that was founded in 1987.

Links