Mark Ong - original UK 7-string player - Anyone know where is he now???

[urb]

Hey Folks

This has been bugging me for a while now - and I can't find anything anywhere on this guy [b]Mark Ong[/b] who was featured in Bassist magazine back in the early 1990s and was probably (to my knowledge) the first guy in the UK to play a 7-string bass, he was a virtuoso player and seemed to be ahead of his time in a lot of ways. I even saw him play live at some guitar show in London. He had a very progressive approach, great sound and was a member of NYJO (National Youth Jazz Orchestra) I even have a CD with him playing with them. I haven't heard anything about him since then, he seems to have disappeared - I hope he's OK obviously - so I just wondered if anyone else has heard of him and if he's still playing. At the time it seemed like he had a bright future ahead of him but it seems like he's vanished from the music scene altogether.

Any news or sightings would be appreciated as this is bugging me! Thanks guys.

Cheers

Mike

[Rich]

Still playing, by the looks of it.
[url="http://www.yell.com/b/Mark+Ong+Bass++Improvisation+Teacher-Music+Teachers-Norwich-NR65SL-4341541/index.html"]http://www.yell.com/b/Mark+Ong+Bass++Impro...1541/index.html[/url]
[url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Q/61492774424"]http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Q/61492774424[/url]

[urb]

[quote name='Rich' post='542393' date='Jul 16 2009, 04:40 PM']Still playing, by the looks of it.
[url="http://www.yell.com/b/Mark+Ong+Bass++Improvisation+Teacher-Music+Teachers-Norwich-NR65SL-4341541/index.html"]http://www.yell.com/b/Mark+Ong+Bass++Impro...1541/index.html[/url]
[url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Q/61492774424"]http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alpha-Q/61492774424[/url][/quote]


Hey Rich - I think the Yell listing is probably accurate but that definitely ISN'T his playing... he was a jazz fusion monster not some Idie kid (no dis to Indie kids OK ) - he actually looks a little Italian too - just for your info - thanks for posting anyway.

Cheers

Mike

[Chris2112]

Still playing, just apparently from the Philippeans!

[urb]

[quote name='Chris2112' post='542399' date='Jul 16 2009, 04:46 PM']Still playing, just apparently from the Philippeans![/quote]

It's not him at all - he's definitely from the UK

M

[Rich]

Blimey, I wouldn't have put money on there being two bassists with that name...
I remember seeing him with NYJO back in 90/91 or so... what a ridiculously talented bunch of kids

[bythesea]

I guess you're not talking about Mark Ong the shoe customiser then...

[urb]

[quote name='bythesea' post='542410' date='Jul 16 2009, 04:53 PM']I guess you're not talking about Mark Ong the shoe customiser then...[/quote]

Take a wild guess...

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='bythesea' post='542410' date='Jul 16 2009, 04:53 PM']I guess you're not talking about Mark Ong the shoe customiser then...[/quote]
That's a job description?

[bythesea]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='542418' date='Jul 16 2009, 05:05 PM']That's a job description? [/quote]
I thought maybe Urb was after a new pair of trainers

[url="http://www.tp.edu.sg/ezines/intempo/nov04/alumni2.htm"]Mark Ong[/url]

[urb]

[quote name='bythesea' post='542423' date='Jul 16 2009, 05:10 PM']I thought maybe Urb was after a new pair of trainers

[url="http://www.tp.edu.sg/ezines/intempo/nov04/alumni2.htm"]Mark Ong[/url][/quote]

Looks like a cool dude and sadly no, I just bought some new trainers (that my blisters are tellling me aren't broken in yet!!!) - but sadly no this is not the chap I'm talking about - if anyone has a copy of Bassist magazine circa 1990 then I reckon that's the last time I heard of him... seriously it's a mystery.

M

[Col]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc[/url]

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Col' post='542763' date='Jul 16 2009, 11:32 PM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc[/url][/quote]

Age 39, so that's about right, looks like he moved to Denmark and decided 5 strings was plenty.

[urb]

[quote name='Col' post='542763' date='Jul 16 2009, 11:32 PM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc[/url][/quote]

Cool man - the weirdest thing is I watched a video of him the other yesterday and the name went right by me - duh! Nie playing though, very tasteful and on it - the search is over...

Thanks

Mike

[3V17C]

yeah i remember him from some old magazine. I think he was from round here (Norwich) and played with another local muso Colin Pincott (session guitarist and member of Mammoth) and I saw them live together at some music show in London yonks ago.


not that thats much help!

c

[phagor]

I recognise that distinctive spidery technique from watching him play back in the day.

I remember seeing Mark at a gig not long before he left the UK, playing an old 50s precision or tele bass, with... 4 strings! Sounded great.

[ari]

I've stumbled upon his videos on youtube recently then searched for some info and just found this thread.... this guy is an amazing soloist, there are lots of good stuff on youtube but he's among the very best players IMHO... great fingerstyle technique, very smooth with no unnecessary movements...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K9aoCg29bc[/url]

[Galilee]

Saw this guy in a pub in Norwich about 20 years ago. Great player, very intimidating.

[beerdragon]

Has he got small hands, because that Lakland board looks huge!

[Chrs]

Hi
Mark Ong probably still lives in the town of Horsens in Denmark where he has worked as a musician and music teacher for years now. I heard him play several times at a local club and he's amazing!
Chrs from Denmark.
By the way check out youtube for videos with mark ong...