"Sax Master" Mark Fineberg Interview
www.instagram.com/MFineberg1959
Interview by Roger Zee (08/03/21)
Roger Zee: Who inspired you to play the sax? Do you sing or play any other instruments?
Mark Fineberg: At twelve years old, I already played clarinet in seventh grade. I also knew that the woodwind family includes the sax along with flute, possibly oboe, and bassoon. At this same time, I used to baby sit an eight year old in my building whose parents owned an extensive jazz record collection that I thumbed through after I put him to bed.
I came upon this record, "Joel Kaye & the NY Neophonic Orchestra," a full-size Big band with French horns. They didn't call it the "sax section" but rather the "reed section." It blew me away that those five players in the band attached so many woodwind instruments to their names beside saxophone. "Wow, that’s what I wanna do!" It hooked me!
At fifteen, I remember going to the library and researching the top NY sax and woodwind doublers. Eventually studied with the top three players from that list -- Eddie Daniels, Dave Tofani, and Harvey Estrin. I learned a lot from all of them. This led me to tell my parents I needed to make this my livelihood!
I credit the way I approach the horn to Ernie Watts, a "West Coast" studio player. Upon first hearing him on a Marvin Gaye record, he floored me with his majestic sound and deep soul. At twenty-three, I found out he played tenor in the Tonight Show Band under Doc Severinsen.
Fast forward ten years to when I get a call for a gig in LA -- Ernie's home base. Through a mutual mouthpiece maker, I meet him for the first time at "Stein on Vine," a well known LA rehearsal studio. In that one lesson, he sets me up for life on how to blow the horn. Occasionially, he came to NYC for a stint at one of the clubs and I would meet him for lunch, then go hear him play.
My sax influences? I took a special liking to Johnny Griffin, Ernie Watts, and Ed Calle. I play all the saxophones, as well as flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet.
RZ: Tell me about some of the musicians and groups you've gigged and recorded with.
MF: Very fortunate to play with great musicians in so many different genres. In terms of earning a living, my career breaks down into three categories:
A. The Jewish music business
B. Broadway
C. Freelance reed player covering lots of different bases and performing with many well-known artists.
Mordechai Ben David's an iconic performer in the Jewish scene. Larry Gates, a studio owner and the big brother I never had, produced an album for him. When MBD asked Gates for a sax recommendation for a week tour in Europe, Gates put on a video of me playing a recent performance. So in 1985, I visited Europe for the first time.
Five years later upon planning to marry, I lucked out and took a call from one of the more prominent music orchestras -- Neshoma. The business has changed tremendously since 1990, and I must say for the better! Little did I know at the time that, "This was the gig that never dies!" A mixture of more weddings along with concerts and recording. A nice niche to fall into when you're about to marry and start a family. Didn’t think it would last, but it's gone on for thirty years now!
This part of my playing career never interfered with other lines of work. I started subbing on Broadway in 1996 with "Grease." That lead to a twenty year Broadway career highlighted by Smokey Joe's Cafe, Riverdance, and Jersey Boys. The soprano sax feature in Riverdance really amazed and musically challenged me. The hardest show I ever prepped!
All the shows necessitated prep work to go into the pit and musically execute what they needed. With the exception of Riverdance where I contracted with them, I subbed on ten to eleven shows during a twenty year span.
So fortunate to perform with so many iconic artists during my career. The list includes Billy Joel, Donna Summer's horn section, Peter Frampton, Roger Daltry with the British Rock Symphony, Gladys Knight, Lou Rawls, and from Motown, The Four Tops, The Temptations, and The Spinners -- just to name a few!
Thanks to pianist/producer Daniel Frieberg who I met thru Larry Gates, I went on to record over forty albums in the Spanish Pop market. These artists include Jose Jose, Valeria Lynch, Mijares, and Argentina’s Alex Lerner. I also recorded with Jamaica’s premier jazz guitarist, Ernest Ranglin, R & B artist Pru, and from the Hip Hop world, Ghost Face Killa. Combined with the Jewish market, I’ve been blessed to play on 90-100 CD's and albums.
I currently perform with Mike DeGuidice, Billy Joel guitarist and leader/lead singer of the well know Billy Joel tribute band Big Shot. Also with the Motown tribute group Shadows of the 60s.
RZ: What instruments do you currently use and how do you mic/amplify them?
MF: I play vintage Selmer horns from soprano to bari; Haynes and Yamaha flutes; Buffet clarinet; and a Selmer low C bass clarinet.
I also built a personal studio featuring Logic Pro 10.6.0., UA Apollo/twin audio interface, Vintech X73i pre, and a number of hand selected microphones that work well with specific woodwinds -- AKG 414EB customized with a C12 capsule, AKG-414TL, AT 4033, ADK “Vienna” and a Russian Ocktava 319.
My days spent going to the big city studio -- nowadays nil. I just send out audio files from my own place. What a great convenience!
RZ: Talk about what and how you practice.
MF: I practice anything that will advance my craft -- scales, arpeggios, licks, transcriptions of other sax players, Billy Joel, and any other sax lines I'm responsible for. I’m pretty good about getting the horn to my face every day. Practicing's the one thing in this world that pays you back in triplicate the more you nuture it.
RZ: Do you teach music privately?
MF: No. I believe if you take on that responsibility, you need to stick around on a pretty regular basis for the students' sakes. I can’t do that with my schedule.
RZ: How has the Pandemic affected you? What's on the horizon?
MF: At first, when everything closed down in a hurry, it allowed me time to get creative. I arranged and recorded the tracks to my first ever "Sax Wid Trax" concert for my neighbors. It actually took a lot of work but I had so much fun the whole time. I borrowed a good PA, clipped on the wireless, balanced the tracks with my horn thru the PA, and performed on two amazingly beautiful Sundays -- 04/26/20 and 06/07/20.
Following that in late June, 2020, work in the Orthodox music biz work started to resume. Initially, they moved the location of the events mostly way out the city. Jobs continued to grow as the year went on. Talking to some colleagues, we acknowledged that while no one else worked in NY at the time, those in the Orthodox business did. I feel way fortunate!
More recently, work's picked up with live shows. I've scheduled something like fifteen concerts with Mike DelGuidice & Big Shot. Also a couple of gigs with Shadows of the 60's as well as the occasional recording assignment.
On the horizon? More of the same for now. I do, however, set my sight on slowing down the live performances and working more in my home studio. Still feeling the creative juices!
RZ: Describe your most special and/or unusual gig.
MF: "Special?" Like the kind of gig that validates why you became a musician in the first place? Meaning to say that I've played so many great gigs defined that way. Sincerely!
My first ever with Donna Summer took place at the Garden Arts Center in front of 25,000 people. Also pretty special, touring with Peter Frampton, Roger Daltry & The British Rock Symphony as Rock sax soloist in the spring/summer tour of ’98. We played a whole bunch of one-off’s to crowds of anywhere from 5,000-20,000.
Also unforgettable, stepping out center stage Radio City Music and blowing your ass off to a packed house as part of that tour. For a year, standing center stage with Riverdance at the Gershwin Theatre as soprano sax soloist. Performing with Billy Joel as he "sat in" with Big Shot at the Paramount in Huntington with my daughter in the audience. I've got other examples, but you get the idea!
Unusual? Let me tell you a story about the dichotomy of the music biz. On June 1, either 1995 or '96, on a day with nothing scheduled, at 9am the phone rings to do a session at noon for a national spot jingle. When I arrive, five or six of the product clients sit in the studio to observe the session. Daniel Freiberg introduces me to every one of them. I finish the assignment and at the end, they all come up and thank me for what I added, followed by Danny letting me know, "This was an important one. I’m paying you double scale." Nice, right?
Then as I get in my car to drive home, I get a call from The co-owner of Neshoma, Elly Zomick. "Mark, you working tonight? Do you know where Kyras Joel is? Can you make a 5’oclock start?" For those who don’t know, Kyras Joel's an Ultra Orthodox community in Monroe, NY. These people would consider me Catholic!
I get there and see a very large U-Haul truck with speakers in a circle formation on top. And it's pulling a 40,000 watt generator. A burly guy gets out and announces to me and two other musicians that he wants us to get in the truck. Not in the cab, but in the truck! Where the cargo would normally go, he set up a number of mics that he wants us to play through. The speakers on top will broadcast the music we play, all the while driving five mph an hour for a Torah dedication.
If you would've told me that day which started with a hand-shaking national recording spot would end up with me playing inside a U-Haul truck, I would've never believed you...
RZ: How do you see the future of the music business?
MF: It will remain viable, but not like what I grew up with. Electronic and synthetic sounds seem much more accepted as the norm now. If cars go electric, why can’t musical instruments? Hopefully there will always remain a place for a kick-ass live horn section and a need for great players to Rock a live show! Hard to predict the future.
RZ: What advice do you give up-and-coming musicians?
MF: Never forget the gift you’ve been given by simply having the talent to play music. Always remain humble. Look to build good relationships and great playing experiences with your colleagues. As much as you give and nuture it, it will pay back that much more.
RZ: Do you live with any animals?
MF: Yes. Lucy, our family dog. A cross between a Lab and a Husky. Great pooch!
RZ: Anything else you would like to say?
MF: Yes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Roger Zee. I'm touched that you thought enough of my playing to include me in this list of great musicians you interviewed. Happy to add to your readers' enjoyment with my music business experience.
YouTube - NY State of Mind - Big Shot featuring Mark Fineberg
YouTube - Sax Solo - Big Shot featuring Mark Fineberg
©2021 Roger Zee
