Mark Stewart
Monday, September 20th, 2004
I know, I’m very late at getting into stuff but now that I play drums and regularly attempt to make music I have a new appreciation for professional performers. I’ve watched the Paul Simon You’re the One Paris Concert numerous times and this particular band is tight and the new arrangements of old standards are excellent. The lead guitarist is Mark Stewart who I’d not heard of before but who not only completely gets Paul Simon’s music and sound but is a spectacular musician in his own right.
I did a bit of searching and came up with Polygraph Lounge which is an act he does in New York from time to time. I also came up with a “casual” that Alec Wilkinson did for the New Yorker last year: An Instrumental Man.
I’m going to try to see Mark live in New York if I can. I have a feeling he’s good in anything he does.
Polygraph Lounge returns to Joe’s Pub in NYC on Sunday Oct. 17th at 7pm. I think I’m gonna try to make this show if I can get tickets. Yes!
Thanks for the reminder about Mark Stewart. After taking the link you supplied to the New Yorker piece on him, I finally remembered that I’d read it before. Stewart sounds like a fascinating person. I’d love to see him live too, even if it’s hearing him solo on a chaladoo in the subway.
Rob Schwimmer, also of Polygraph Lounge, is featured on an the Theremin Noir CD, which sounds like great music too.
http://www.polygraphlounge.com/Rob/thereminnoir.html
Just saw Polygraph Lounge last night in New York. Oh my, they are pure genius and hillarity. On top of amazing musicality and home-made instruments is a layer of wit and cutting sarcasm that is, well, hard to describe.
I can see now why Paul Simon chose Mark Stewart to play lead guitar: the guy can play anything: any instrument, any genre, any sound. He’s one to follow and any chance you get to see these two perform together should be jumped on.
I would love to see mark stewart play. I have been a fan for some time. Is there any chance do you think of meeting him after a gig for a photo. What do you think is it possible
Absolutely. At the gig we saw he came out and hung with the audience for a while afterward. Folks were buying him drinks and talking. I was a bit starstruck and didn’t approach him. I’m a total fan now and if you can see him in this show it’s highly recommended.
ok thanks richard can you recommend a gig i go to im from ireland and im travelling over in the new year
This is where I found out about the one I saw.
http://www.polygraphlounge.com/gigs.html
Good luck and come back and post a review if you see him.
One more question rich. Where do you see him play….
I saw Polygraph Lounge at Joe’s Pub in New York.
http://www.polygraphlounge.com/gigs.html
Hello, I went to High School with Mark Stewart where he was first chair Cello, first chair French Horn, and already one of the Fox Valleys best guitarists. I saw the Gershwin Awards again on PBS for Paul Simon and Mark Stewart showed his unassuming virtuossity once again. I hope to get to New York soon and see him perform!
Kris: Wow, fantastic. Where was that? If I remember, he plays some cello in concert with Paul Simon. The guy is a virtuoso musician, no doubt.
Appleton High School East, Appleton, WI. He is definetly where he belongs and everyone here is very proud of him, but not surprised!! I hope to see him known nationally on his own merits, he has surely earned it!!
Wow, he sure has come a long way. Appleton to the Big Apple!
I was a student of his at Mansfield University while he taught there for a couple of years in 1991-1993. He was the nicest, coolest, funniest, and most talented guy I think I have ever met. It was damned ridiculous how musical he was: he could pick up anything and make it sound like he’d been playing it for lifetimes. You’d forget what instrument he was playing and just hear music. I aspire to someday be half as good as he was then, and that was a decade and a half ago.
Wow, fantastic Jeff. His genius shows in everything I’ve seen him do. Yes, to be that good at anything would be a dream come true for most of us.
I’ve known Mark since we were maybe two years old and see him when he comes to Milwaukee on tour. You’re right, he is the nicest, coolest and most talented guy you’ll know. Also makes a really great friend.
Lizzie: Wow, more testimonial to what a great guy Mark is. All I know is his music, never met him but it makes it all the better that he’s a great guy.
I too went to Jr. High School with Mark. We were boyfriend and girlfriend for a little while. You are so right when you say he is were he belongs. We all thought that of Mark even way back then. He was excellent! And the nicest guy. I ended up marrying a band mate of his from years back and have be trying to get in touch with Mark’ but no luck so far.
Kathy: He’s mentioned on various sites and it sounds like he lives in Brooklyn and has a studio on the Lower East Side.
Polygraph Lounge
Bang on a Can
Camber Music Changing article
I hope he can make our 30th High School Reunion! He flew in for our 25th and I got a chance to say Hello. It would be great to see him PLAY!!!!!!!! What do you say Mark?
wow im dying to see this guy play. Saw him in ireland way back posted here about it. Didnt get to new york to see him. Still trying to make it. I think im in love with him at this stage..lol
Caroline: I think you’re in good company. Many people seem to be following him but he’s elusive.
I went to the Simon and Garfunkel concert in Perth, Australia last week, and was amazed by the lead guitarist (Mark Stewart), who popped up on cello, tin whistle and sax at various times during the show. It was very funny. We were constantly wondering what he was going to do next. When introduced by Paul Simon late in the concert, I knew that he had to be well-known in his own right.
Ross: Wow, I had no idea Simon was still performing. Those guys are old! Yeah, Stewart is brilliant and can do most anything. It’s quite obvious watching him play that he can both fit into any bigger group or fill a room with great sound solo. I’d love to see him again some day.
Mark is awesome-he can even play windsurfing masts! We have a chaladoo based on his design-how cool is it to have an instrument made from pvc pipe from home depot? :)
Mark Stewart was born with a guitar in his hands, but went to the Eastman School of Music as a cello major. We shared a studio at Mansfield University for several of the four years he taught here–as professor of cello and classical and jazz guitar. He was equally at home playing rock, as you all well know. I had a few wonderful opportunities to jam with him both in our studio and publicly with Mari and a student jazz combo called “Mr. Hyde”–and I’m a classically trained oboist. Mark has always been an amazing musician; it was a great loss to our students when he chose free-lancing in New York over teaching college kids. As a cellist, I remember him having a beautiful, rich tone, and very expressive musical lines. He knew how to make classical music accessible to all.
Sue: I’ve only seen him play a few times but it’s obvious he’d be quite comfortable playing almost any instrument in any musical genre. I love finding out about people like this as they’re rare.
It’s great to know that he was/is also a great teacher. Folks with this kind of talent don’t always have empathy for the rest of the world. Nice to know he does.
I was very fortunate to be in the audience for the first performance of Paul Simon’s new concert tour in Seattle April 15, 2011. It was an amazing concert, made even more so by the extremely talented Mark Stewart. He plays so many instruments, and plays them exceptionally well, as well as back up vocals for Paul. He is just a wonderful talent – a treat to watch and listen to. I do hope they produce a concert dvd for sale.
Wow, this is great that Stewart is touring with Simon (still). Simon pulls in great players no doubt. Thanks for the update Jackie.
I just say Mark playing with Paul in Chicago. It was at a small venue and it was awesome to be able to see them up close. I went to dinner with Mark afterwards (I am lucky enough to be related to him!). He is as genuine as he seems.
Thanks for that great report Jean. They’ve been playing together for long enough now so that no doubt it was a spectacular concert. Two geniuses (and no doubt the rest of the band was great too). I’m jealous.
Just seen the Paul Simon concert in Glasgow, Scotland. The whole band were tremendous, but Mark’s talent shone. Great night.
I’m incredibly jealous Chris. Must have been a great night.