Music
Press
"Virtuoso guitarist Mark Tyson shifts effortlessly from sharp riffing to searing leads, from flourishes to flashes of genius..." - ArtistDirect.com
"On his debut release "Freedom Cry", Mark Tyson sounds like Africa's Alpha Blondy at times. Their music and voices touch and cross some of the same lines. Tyson shows his musicianship by arranging all of the music himself. Stand out cuts are "Thank You Jah" and "Goin' Home", which uses African style hand drumming and horns. This is a great effort from a new artist, full of conscience raising lyrics and soul lifting music. Check it!! - Lance "O" - The Reggae Report
"Mark's distinctive guitar work and all-encompassing musical vision make for a musical approach that is uniquely his own" Chuck Foster -2004 - The BEAT
"This is a good example of Los Angeles based Reggae and one that is very creative. A must for all serious Reggae collectors" - - Kings Chambers
"Mark Tyson & his Reggae / World Music ensemble The BNX is enough to set anybody's pelvis in motion" Jason McKlosky - Drama Louge
"A Product of LA's multicultural influences, Mark Tyson mixes Reggae and World Music up on his new release Freedom Cry (3 Worlds Music). He blends them well on tracks like "Fidayda" and the title song. Then Tyson punches in some nice straight-up Reggae on "A New Day" and going for the knockout comes in with one of the best dread tunes around in "Thank You Jah"- Chuck Foster - The BEAT
"Mark Tyson & his BNX have created a highly original sound one that blends Reggae, African, and exotic eastern sounds. Tyson & Co. spring this hybrid on unsuspecting clubgoers between their excursions into more standard Reggae, Funk, and Trop-Rock fare" - LA Weekly
"Based in Los Angeles, the Blue Nile X-Press have been wowing crowds live for some time, Their self-titled 4 song CD/EP will tell you why. Mark is soundly steeped in Reggae, having spent years woodshedding in various L.A. Reggae bands and working with artists of the stature of Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus." - The BEAT
"In Turkey the Blue Nile X-Press, with Mark's older brother Nyofu, Elias Negash (keyboards), and producer/drummer Joe Blocker appeared on two television shows, played a series of gigs and garnished an impressive pile of press clippings because of their unique Reggae mix." - Tom Cheyney - Billboard
Discography
1st release -
"FREEDOM CRY" - all songs available for download from snocap player on myspace page and from thebnx.com
2nd release-
"THE BLUE NILE X-PRESS" 4 song EP, all songs available online from iTunes or CDBABY, and many other outlets
latest release-
"UNIVERSAL CITIZEN" all songs also available from iTunes, CDBABY and most online outlets.
Mark can also be heard on 21 other recordings with 14 different artists playing guitar and bass. See complete discography at band website - www.thebnx.com
Photos
Bio
"..unique musical stew of Reggae, World Music, and Jazz..." Says Billboard Magazine. // Forever driven by a passion for music, Mark Tyson was in essence born into it. His older brothers, father, grandfather, and great grandfather all played music. In his home many different instruments and styles of music were played developing in him an early ear for World Music sounds. Mark began formal musical training at age 9 on the flute and alto saxophone, which he continued until 13 years old when he picked up the guitar. Born and raised in California, Mark grew up in a multi-ethnic neighborhood in Los Angeles. Being mixed with African American, Lebanese, and Danish, Mark explored the cross-cultural aspects of his rich heritage. Mark spent many years practicing guitar, flute, and saxophone, learning off the varied record collection in his home. His favorite’s were Jimi Hendrix on guitar, John Coltrane on sax, and Ian Anderson(Jethro Tull) on flute. By the time Mark was 17 he was playing mainly guitar and he sold his alto sax, since then he has only played flute occasionally. By the late 70’s Mark started listening to Reggae music “..the first Reggae song that I heard that really grabbed me was Natural Mystic by Bob Marley. From the opening few bars I was completely hooked, I started buying all the Reggae albums I could find and reading and learning about my roots and culture...” says Tyson. With Reggae as a foundation and after years of playing Hendrix licks, R&B/funk, 70's Jazz/Rock fusion, delta blues, oud, saz, and flamenco riffs, Mark combined these influences into his own original musical style. Mark's first Reggae group, One Foundation, became popular in the LA music scene throughout the 80's and in 1985 they began touring with Reggae legend, Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus. During this time, Mark doubled as Ras Michael's lead guitarist and musical director and traveled all over the nation. After the break up of One Foundation Mark continued to play and record with Ras Michael (until 2002), and on the side started working on his first solo recording "Freedom Cry". After the completion of "Freedom Cry" Mark formed a cutting-edge, 8-piece band called, “The Blue Nile X-Press (The BNX).” The BNX became known for taking the listener on a musical train-ride, with heavy doses of Reggae bass & drums, African rhythms, Ethiopian & exotic melodies, mixed with some funk & jazz. Mark took the BNX to Europe and Turkey, performing live in local venues and on television. His second release "The Blue Nile X-Press" was a 4 song EP, featuring a unique collaboration with Ethiopian keyboard wizard, Elias Negash. This recording received rave reviews from the nation’s leading Reggae/World Music publications as well as a feature article in Billboard magazine, and propelled LA Weekly to coin the group as- “LA’s best new sound.” Marks latest release “Universal Citizen” has the new BNX back on the scene with his unique rootsy, funky, dubstrumental, world music sounds. Mark’s songs range from singing praises like on “Thank You Jah”, or a voice against oppression and corruption as in “Power Struggle”, right down to pure sexy belly dancing Reggae in “Turkish Delight” and “Fidayda”, and the BNX signature Dubstrumental style with "Freedom Cry". The BNX has been blessed through the years to have some very talented band members playing live and in the studio, a few worth mentioning are, SANTA DAVIS, MICHAEL HYDE, CARL YOUNG, BILL SUMMERS, STEVO THEARD, PHIL RANELIN, RAHMLEE DAVIS, IRAJ LASHKARY, JESSE SHARPS, PAUL TCHOUNGA- to name a few. Mark has also performed or recorded with: Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus, Wailing Souls, Joe Higgs, Garth Dennis, Watts Prophets, Stranjah Cole, The Rastafarians, Haile Maskel, One Soul, Masamba (Senegal), Totem (latin), Shakaman, Cedric Im Brooks, Nyofu, Jawge & the UKB, Too Rude, Kottonmouth Kings, Leon Mobley & Da Lion, Nate Morgan, Bobby Bryant Jr., WoodDwellas, Caribbean Pulse, Dred Flimstone, Chachi(Ethiopia), Dub Squad, Rhythm Doctors, Lesterfari, Junior Toots, Yoli, Ital Joe, Wadada Khufu, Kebade, Human Rights (HR), Junior P, Remi Kabaka(Nigeria), Eddy Mallo(Cuba), Swelele, KK(2nd to None), Chu & the Project Blowed All Stars, Boom Tony, Jah Eye, Bredren, Steve Smith, Tracey Amos, Bukkiah, Hadji Tekbilek (Turkey), Hasan Bah (Guinea), AL.s Peace, Jah Mark & the SoulShakers, Napalm Clique, Freedom Jazz Movement, Sita, Ras Bunny, Ladee Dread, Ras Indio.....
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