“It was time for me to take a break from the band and the road work and get back to the acoustic sound,” says Mark. “I’m not one to whine on about mysterious inspirations from afar. But the project came to me relatively quickly as a whole, with each track complimenting some other track and reverberating in a kind of sonic weave. A rootsy, organic concept took hold, with every idea feeding off another. Very invigorating and satisfying to pull it all together, though there were months of woodsheding required to get my hands back in shape for this type of playing.”

The entire CD of acoustic guitar dreamscapes was composed by Mark and was recorded in New York City and in Memphis TN. All the instruments throughout were played by Mark, with the exception of a dreamy blues guitar centerpiece, titled Mirage Avenue #2, where his band the Van Dorens step in seamlessly to propel the collection into the R&B realm. Working hand in hand on the project was his long time friend and collaborator Jeff Powell, who mixed the CD.

“It’s really not a album for our times,” Mark adds ironically, “in that Mirage Cartography was conceived to be heard in one sitting. In this day and age when songs are purchased and played individually – the way I used to buy 45s when I was a kid – how many people really listen to entire albums anymore? Well, I do anyway. And I like to think there are a few people left out there who recognize and embrace the rewards of that sort of approach to music listening. And those are the folks who should check this out.”