Hello
Canadian born guitarist/vocalist/composer Mark Fitchett is an artist who’s performance, compositional, and improvisational skills cross multiple musical boundaries. Through original instrumental and vocal music, as well as interpretations of jazz, blues, and rock standards, Fitchett’s intense approach to his guitar and vocals adds an exciting element to his ensemble and solo performances.
My Story
In The Beginning
Mark’s love for the blues started at his grandparent’s house, where as a child he would either be mesmerized by his grandfather’s boogie woogie piano playing or spend hours listening to his grandfather’s record collection that included early Elvis, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry as well as many other now classic blues, boogie, ragtime, rock and country records.
Although originally inspired to play the piano because of his granddad, his parents were not receptive to the idea of owning a piano. Around the age of nine a cousin brought over a guitar and a lifelong 6-string love affair began.
Influences
As a teen Mark listened to blues influenced bands like the Allman Brothers, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Led Zeppelin but it was the electrifying blues playing of Johnny Winter that started the gradual transition of tracing the blues to their original sources.
The journey was not without some detours. He also learned how to play jazz, rock and country music. Still, no matter the musical tangent the blues kept calling him back. He is considered a modern blues guitarist but Fitchett's style is firmly rooted in past traditions but fused with his own unique perspectives and influences.
PROJECTS
Cult of the Wrong Note
Instrumental Progressive Rock
Chasing the Blues
Blues
The God Album
Art Rock
Inside The Outer Circle
Instrumental Jazz Guitar Duets
Working Man
Country Rock
Inside The Outer Circle
Instrumental Jazz Guitar Duets
The Crossings
Instrumental Music for Ballet/Modern Dance
The Plan
Rock
Singles
18 singles independent of the albums
Unreleased Material
Approximately 500 songs in multiple genres
EDUCATION & CREDITS
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bachelor of Music degree in Composition
GROVE SCHOOL of MUSIC
Graduated with honors in advanced Guitar Theory & Technique, Composition & Arranging, Film Composition
NATIONAL GUITAR SUMMER WORKSHOP
Guitar Instructor
Taught courses in blues, rock, jazz, music theory and technique
UCLA EXTENSION
Guitar Instructor
Taught intermediate to advanced courses in blues/rock improvisation and contemporary guitar styles, with emphasis on practical music theory application.
GUITAR CENTER
Guitar Clinician
Lecture on various aspects of guitar technique and performance.
AUTHOR
Book/CD instructional package "Chopsbuilders,"
designed to give guitarists a fresh perspective on some different ways
of playing exercises, scales and licks.
Published by CHERRY LANE MUSIC COMPANY, INC., Port Chester, NY; Distributed by Hal Leonard
TRANSCRIBER
CHERRY LANE MUSIC COMPANY, INC., Port Chester, NY,
Author of many internationally published guitar transcription folios. Many of these transcriptions have appeared in the popular magazine "Guitar For The Practicing Musician."
Author, Reading Music, Level I, GUITAR SCHOOL PUBLICATIONS
"Reading Music Level I” is an introduction to reading music on the guitar.
COMPOSER
REGINA KLENJOSKI DANCE COMPANY
He is a four-time nominee for the Lester Horton Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Music for Dance with music for RKDC’s, Love Lies Waiting, Christian’s Lullaby and The Museum Project. Other projects with Regina include Dear Mimi, Original Sin, It Feels Like Pitch Black, The Crossings, One Too Many, Splinter, Truth and most recently, Fracture
Fitchett has also worked composing and editing music for various Los Angeles choreographers including Lula Washington and Robert Gilliam.
Composer, ROBERT GILLIAM (choreographer)
Composer, LULA WASHINGTON (choreographer)
Guitarist/Composer for "CULT of the WRONG NOTE,"
Guitarist for "THE CAMPBELL BROTHERS,"
Session Guitarist film scores and television commercials
Owner & Audio Engineer, OPEN DOOR SOUND, Hermosa Beach, CA, 1981 to 1994
Musician/Performer, Southern California, 1979 to Present
Mark Fitchett is the original founder of the Guitar School / South Bay School of Music in Redondo Beach, California, and co-founder of Long Beach School of Music and Peninsula School of Music