Mark McLean

Mark McLean (born February 5, 1975) is a Canadian musician, drummer, composer, lyricist and studio musician. McLean lives and works primarily in New York. He has released three albums under his own name. The first showcases his arrangements of jazz standards while his later albums are original material (except one song). His very early influence was his father's record collection, which included every genre: from Johann Sebastian Bach to James Brown. McLean is becoming known as the "drum whisperer" in part because he can coax organic sounds out of any drum kit. McLean is musically multilingual: jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, pop or any genre required for the song.

McLean's great uncle, Cy McLean was one of the first black band leaders in Canada. His brother Lester McLean is an accomplished saxophonist and vocalist in the Toronto jazz and RnB scene.

McLean began his career at age nine as a gifted classical pianist, but by age 14 had started a second career playing the drums. By the time he was 18, the drums eclipsed the piano as McLean's voice for musical expression and the age of 22 he was playing with fellow Canadian and jazz icon, Oscar Peterson.

McLean graduated with honors from The University of Toronto with a bachelor's in performance in jazz. In his third year faculty member Don Thompson invited him to play on the first of the more than 70 recordings on which McLean appears. He was also named "Post-secondary Musician of the Year" by the Jazz Report Magazine in 1998. That summer McLean taught at Canada's Interprovincial Music Camp (jazz). He was also the jazz director at Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute while taking his undergraduate degree.

McLean's recording and touring highlights include George Michael, Gladys Knight, Joe Sample, (credited).

McLean is endorsed by Regal Tip Mallets and Brushes, Zildjian Sticks and Cymbals, Remo drum heads and Yamaha Drums.

New York

McLean moved to New York City in 1999 following receipt of a grant awarded him by the Canada Council for the Arts. Initially, McLean wanted to study with drummer, Brian Blade. Although he did not teach, Blade on Molly Johnson's 2009 Juno-award-winning album Lucky, and was co-arranger on Sophie Milman's 2009 release Take Love Easy, while continuing to tour and record as a member of George Michael's band.

Producer Phil Ramone following a recording session with Billy Joel remarked: "Mark McLean is a tasty, sure handed drummer, a song man’s musician." 2003 Award Socan Awards Another Day, Molly Johnson, Mark McLean 2003 Nomination Traditional Jazz Album Juno Awards of 2003

Session work