Mark Greel Band | Biographies

Mark Greel - Vocals / Trumpet / Saxophone / Guitar / Flute /Piano

1976.....Attended Natick high school and the New England Conservatory extension school in Boston, MA. Studied Classical trumpet with Albert Dipietro, conducting and vocal coaching from Karen Bergmann and 3 years of music theory and composition with Ernie Clark.

1977.....Performed with the Mass Youth Wind Ensemble at New England Conservatory as first chair trumpet with conductor Frank Battiste.
Chosen as first chair trumpet for the All-State Bicentennial orchestra, which performed and recorded in Symphony Hall, Boston, MA, under the direction of Boston symphony concertmaster, Max Hobart.
Selected as lead trumpet and soloist for the Bicentennial Jazz Orchestra, which performed and recorded in symphony Hall, Boston, MA under the direction of the world-renowned Jazz educator Herb Pomeroy.

1977-1980.....Performed as a soloist with the 79th US Military Show Band stationed in Panama, Central America. Featured with the Jazz orchestra, Traditional jazz and Latin Jazz bands, performing on Trumpet, Guitar, Flute and vocals. This tour included performances in every country in Central and South America, numerous radios and national television appearances and a private performance for President Jimmy Carter.

1980-1984.....Attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA as a scholarship student majoring in arranging and composition. Recipient of the Lee Berk Award for outstanding academics and instrumental performances.
Received "The LENNIE JOHNSON Award" from Berklee College for outstanding musicianship.

1984.....Selected as a featured soloist on the recording "Jazz At Noon". This recording showcased greater Boston's established and rising Jazz Stars.
Established the Mark Greel Band, which has been performing fulltime since 1984.

1985.....Featured Trumpet, Flugelhorn and Flute soloist on Nationally renown jazz vocalist Rebecca Paris' debut recording "A Passionate Fling"

1990.....Performed with vocalist Larry Watson at the Hatch Shell in Boston, MA for Nelson Mandelas' first visit to Boston.

1990.....The Mark Greel Band tours Germany and Austria. Performing at the well-known Biershohof Hotel and Nachtcafe in Munich. This was followed by a New Years Eve performance in Kitsbul, Austria for the Austrian Chancellor.

1992-1994.....Performed as a member of Boston based Latin Jazz band "El Eco". This group was also featured in the Boston Globe Jazz festival.

1996.....The Mark Greel Band tours Mainland China. This 2-month tour represents the first time an American Band of this type has been invited to tour China.
In addition to many radio and television jingle recordings, Marks vocal version of "It Had To Be You" was chosen by Bay Banks of New England for a long running radio and Television add campaign.

1998.....Mark Greel and Full Circle is established as a group performing Marks' original compositions and arrangements.

2001.....Mark performs in Lucca, Italy Jazz Club.

2002.....Release of new JAZZ CD entitled "WHAT'LL I DO". Featuring the music of Miles Davis, Chet Baker and Mark Greel.

2004 Mark travels to Los Angeles to record a new CD featuring some of LA's best studio musicians. This CD showcases Mark's vocal work and trumpet playing. Featured are songs of some of todays great pop artist, Paul Simon, Bobby Caldwell, James Taylor as well as standards by Cole Porter and others.

2004 The Mark Greel Band performs for the wedding reception of Governor Romney's son at the Copley Plaza Hotel.

Mark Hamilton - Trombone, percussion, vocals

Mark Hamilton, trombone, percussion, vocals
Mark has performed all over the world and recorded nine CDs as a member of Boston's famous Klezmer Conservatory Band, the highlight being an appearance with Itzhak Perlman on The Late Show with David Letterman. He is a busy freelancer and has also performed with Joe Williams, Victor Borge, Robin Williams, and Joel Grey. A talented educator, Mark is the former Instrumental Music Director at Applewild School in Fitchburg, Massachusetts where his bands consistently won top honors at the International Association of Jazz Educator's festivals. Both an arranger and composer, he specializes in klezmer and jazz music for concert bands and other ensembles. Mark created a publishing company to make this music available for such groups, HamilTunes. As if this is not enough, Mark is also a proud graduate of the New England Conservatory and the University of Delaware and a founding member of the Boston area ensembles Klezperanto and Brass Planet. He has happily teamed up with Mark Greel since 1998

Jeff Williams - Keyboards

Jeff attended the Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, Berklee College of Music and has studied jazz with pianists James Williams and Joanne Brackeen. Since moving to Boston from Youngstown, Ohio Jeff has had the opportunity to perform with many different bands and singers in a wide range of musical contexts, playing shows, concerts and clubs. In addition to freelancing Jeff also performs with his jazz trio. His most recent recording is jazz singer Johnny Souza's "My Shining Hour", featuring Dick Johnson. He has performed with Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, the Four Tops, and Tiny Tim.In addition to performing, Jeff is on the faculty at the Southshore Conservatory and Massasoit Community College.

Tino D'Agostino - Bass / Vocals

Born in Salerno, Italy in 1967 he started playing music at the age of 6. After a diploma in trumpet he started teaching and performing with nationally known artists such as: Cionfoli, Cattaneo and the Willy Frank Big Band. He started on electric bass when he was 22, specializing his jazz improvisation skills with Paolino Dalla Porta, Furio Di Castri and Danilo Rea. On different TV shows for RAI and TMC, he had the chance to backup for Andrea Boccelli and others. In 1994 he won first prize for the Best Italian Bass Player. He moved to Boston in 1995 where he studied at The Berklee College of Music with Oscar Stagnaro and Bruce Gertz. He Performed in New England and NY with : Randhy Johnston, Natalie Jackson, Wayne Krantz, and Hal Crook. In 1997 he recorded 1:11 with Sergio Bellotti and Heroes with Enrico Cerretti. In 1998 he realesed and produced in collaboration with the drummer Sergio Bellotti the CD SPAJAZZY featuring Mike Stern and Jim Kelly. He also toured Europe twice with Spajazzy featuring Jim Kelly and Anthony Law. In November '98 another tour with Spajazzy featured Steve Hunt on keyboards. Tino is currently teaching music at the Robinson School of Mansfield, MA, and is a member of the "OdysseyArkestra". He's also working on the material for the new Spajazzy.

Steven Wright - Drums / Percussion/ Bass / Vocal

Steven started performing perfessionally at the age of thirteen and has since performed throughout the world. Included in his teenage years was a long standing tenure with one of New England's most famous show bands "Larry and the Exciters." Steven also spent time in Los Angeles where he was the house drummer for the nationally syndicated television show "the Comedy Stop". During that time Steven also managed such well know groups as "The Manhattan Transfer" and "Peaches and Herb". In addition to being one of Boston's best drummers, Steven's talents include outstanding lead vocals, latin percussion and electric bass. Steven has been performing with the Mark Greel Band for the last twenty years.

Robert Greel - Percussion / Vocals

A new addition to the Mark Greel Band, "El Rey" started playing percussion for the band in 2001. Starting from the ground up, Robert learned the ropes of musicianship and music business from the most expereienced musicians in the field today. Taking lessons from some of the finest drummers and percussionists in Boston, Robert Greel has proved to add a tasteful and exciting new element to the Mark Greel Band. He currently plays percussion as well as drums and vocals for the band.