Mark St. Mary transforms
Art & Soul into zydeco heaven

By Eldridge "Big Cat" Tolefree

Mark St. Mary gave zydeco fans at Oakland’s annual Art & Soul Festival a taste of Louisiana flavor and soul. The band came out on fire, capturing the hearts and spirits of the standing-room-only crowd at the blues stage.
    The dance area was filled by the audience the moment the band began playing, and it remained jam-packed until the end.
   The day was filled with non-stop zydeco music, but the Mark St. Mary band stood out with its brand of authentic Southern-style music. You could feel the French Quarter on 12th and Broadway in downtown Oakland on Saturday.
    There were 60 groups that performed at this year’s Art & Soul Festival, which provided three days of entertainment and featured every genre of music. The festival was the hottest ticket in town, hands down, and the weather was extraordinary.
    Mark St. Mary plays traditional Louisiana-style zydeco in both French and English. Mark began singing and playing the accordion professionally at age 15, deciding to dedicate himself to “preserving true zydeco music.”
    Jasper “YOYO” Zumo, who plays the rub board and provides back-up vocals, has performed with Mark since 1990. Drummer Steve Namle has served as the driving force behind the band for more than five years. Bassist David Rees also sings back-up and has brought a vast amount of musical experience to the group, including country and blues, since 1985. Rees also plays frequently with the Sacramento Symphony Orchestra. Lead guitarist and singer Scott “Gringo” Williams is considered by many to be a real New Orleans-style guitar player. He has also performed with his own band, Gringo Loco, for more than 10 years.
    Check out Mark St. Mary’s website at www.markstmary.com.

Send your comments to Big Cat at insidebuzz@yahoo.com.