Folk/Roots/Americana
“Masterful...” - Chicago Tribune
“Quietly powerful...Dvorak shines.” - Sing Out!
a refreshing portrait of the living folk tradition
“No one spins a yarn or sings an old timey song
with more skill and respect than Mark Dvorak.
He's a builder of the folk world,
in Chicago, the region and the continent.
His voice and song writing bring the heart of folk music into our contemporary world with humor,
authenticity and a great warm voice.”
Bill’s Blues
“...one of a vanishing breed...
Although all of us benefit from the tradition,
Dvorak is one of the few who keep it alive.
Listen. Join in.”
Utah Phillips
Mark’s latest CD
Every Step of the Way, one of Waterbug’s outstanding releases of 2006! Featuring 10 original songs. With Keith Baumann, Al Ehrich and others. Click here or on the CD icon for previews and CD details.
“ ‘Every Step of the Way’ is a great CD... I’m already playing it...”
- Matt Watroba, WDET
Detroit, MI
“ ...a lovely new CD... the title song should become a standard.”
- Eric Zorn
Chicago, IL
“For a folk album, it ROCKS!”
- Michael Schenkelberg Swallow Hill, Denver, CO
“I loved your record...very mature, excellent work.”
- Michael Smith
Chicago, IL
“...a modern day troubadour and Chicago folk treasure...
equal parts Big Bill Broonzy, Win Stracke and Art Thieme...”
Chicago Second Sunday
The 1st Annual Doug Esse Memorial 5-String Banjo Cacophony
Doug Esse was a banjo student of mine, a long time ago, not too long after I started teaching at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. As I remember, he was a newer member of a class that had been together awhile and had become very close knit. In fact, two of the students from that class wound up getting married and to this day are living near Plano, Illinois.
Doug didn’t hang out much after class with the rest of us. He always seemed very busy “with work.” As best I understand it, Doug taught archeology at the University of Chicago. It must have been a demanding position, because he never seemed to make much progress with his banjo playing, even though he swore to be practicing on a regular basis. Remarkably, Doug never got down on himself, which is somewhat inconsistent when compared to other students who struggle. When he didn’t understand something, or couldn’t play something, I remember him often shrugging it off and smiling. “I’ll work on it.” he would say.
Doug was in the class off and on, i want to say for about a year, maybe less... continue
