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Mark V. Gonzales

Austin, Texas trombonist. Grammy award winning Mark Valentino Gonzales, or "Speedy G" as he is often called, has been impressing audiences with his style, versatility and musicality since he arrived in Texas from Philadelphia in 1990. While attending the University of North Texas he had the honor of being a member of the famed One O'Clock Lab Band under the direction of Neil Slater. He received a Bachelors in Music Education and began gigging regularly in the Dallas-Fort Worth area absorbing a vast number of musical styles and genres. During his time at U.N.T. he joined the Soul/R&B/Funk powerhouse, [a=Mingo Fishtrap] which has enjoyed great popularity since the early '90's. Mark and the group moved to Austin in 1999. Joining [a=Grupo Fantasma] in late 2008, his gritty trombone sound has been a welcome addition to the band. Their 2011 album, El Existential which featured many arrangements done by Gonzales won a Grammy for best Latin Rock Alternative/Urban album. Amongst many awards and accolades, they have recently been inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame. When in Austin, Gonzales is very active in the Hot Jazz/Dixie scene, playing with Aunt Ruby's Sweet Jazz Babies, the East Side Dandies and others. He has also become popular among composers, producers and songwriters for his horn arranging abilities. Throughout his career, Mark as had the honor of playing and/or working with artists such as Erykah Badu, Bonnie Raitt, Justin Timberlake, Questlove, Delbert McClinton, Steve Berlin, GZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Steve Berlin, Los Lobos, Father John Misty, Lila Downs, Kris Kristofferson, Galactic, Greg Boyer, Spoon, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Larry Harlow, Stephen Bruton, The Neville Brothers, Ozomatli, Stanton Moore, Raul Malo, Frankie Valli, The Scabs and Bob Schneider, amongst others.