Mark Whitfield Trio
Zinc Bar82 West 3rd Street, New York 10012
Mark Whitfield leads his trio at Zinc Bar, with two performances across the evening. The billing identifies this as a guitar-led jazz trio, though the other musicians are not named. Whitfield brings a long New York career to the room, in a compact group setting centered on his playing.
A native New Yorker, Whitfield graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1987 before returning home to build his career as a jazz guitarist. The New York Times called him “The Best Young Guitarist in the Business” in 1990, the year Warner Bros. released his debut, The Marksman. His collaborators span Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Herbie Hancock and mentor George Benson, as well as Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Sting, D’Angelo, Diana Krall and Robert Glasper. His recording work includes 16 solo albums alongside numerous collaborative projects; he also works as an instructor and master clinician.
Zinc Bar offers a richly textured experience where the past and present of jazz converge in a single, dimly lit room adorned with Art Deco details like velvet upholstery, polished brass, and a Parisian zinc bar. The venue’s layout centers around a close-up stage and a vintage bar, creating a setting where the music is both the focus and a shared journey. Patrons can expect expertly crafted cocktails alongside performances that range from world-class jazz to vibrant Brazilian and African rhythms, often featuring multiple sets and occasional late-night jams. The seating is lounge-style, encouraging attentive listening rather than casual chatter, making it a place to immerse fully in the sound. This is a space where history lingers, once hosting legends like Billie Holiday and Thelonious Monk, now continuing their legacy with a sophisticated yet welcoming vibe.