Mark O'Connor

Saxophonist Mark O’Connor, an Austin, Texas native, has been part of the Chicago and Milwaukee music scenes since 1996 as a performer, composer and educator. Recently, his group was selected to perform as one of six finalists chosen out of 1100 bands in the midwest for the Independent Music World Series. O'Connor's latest CD on Blujazz productions, “Mirage,” spent eight weeks on the national jazz radio charts and garnered such praise as “With his hearty sound and bristling ideas, O’Connor can bowl over even a jaded follower of post-bop jazz.” - Neil Tesser, Author, The Playboy Guide to Jazz, and Host of Miles Ahead (1240 AM Chicago) and, “A very good saxophonist he is… melodically and rhythmically engaging lines… expressiveness and melodic sensitivity.” - Jazz Times Magazine. O’Connor has performed with such notables as Rufus Reid, Arturo Sandoval, Henry Butler, Steve Turre and Joe Williams. He has studied with well known jazz educators Dan Haerle and Fred Hamilton at the University of North Texas and at Eastern Illinois University with New Orleans piano luminary Henry Butler and Chicago pianist and producer of “Mirage,” Mark Maegdlin.