Mark Winkler

Mark Winkler is a platinum award-winning singer/lyricist who has had over 250 of his songs recorded by such artists as Dianne Reeves, Steve Tyrell, Liza Minnelli, Jane Monheit and Lea Salonga. He has written lyrics for tunes by such esteemed composers as Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Joshua Redman, and David Benoit. Recently, his songs have been recorded by Britain’s top vocalist Claire Martin and Denmark’s Sinne Eeeg -- his song “We’ve Just Begun” was the title of her latest top 10 jazz release.

His last four CDs have all charted in the top 20 on the Jazz Week charts and he has gotten excellent reviews including two “Top Vocal CDs of the year” in 2015 and 2018 in Jazziz Magazine. His CD “Jazz and Other Four Letter Words” received a four star review in Downbeat magazine.

Mark has written songs for the hit musical revue Naked Boys Singing! which is in its 20th year playing Off-Broadway (the second longest running show in Off-Broadway history). He is the creator and co-writer of Too Old for the Chorus which has played successful engagements in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Diego and all over the country. He is also the co-writer for the musical revues Bark! and Hangin’ Out. His film noir jazz musical Play it Cool, which played to sold out audiences in Los Angeles, opened Off-Broadway a few years ago and received Drama Desk nominations for Best Musical and Best Lead performer.   

As an educator, he has taught seminars in lyric writing at The Songwriters Guild and The Songwriting School of Los Angeles, and he now teaches “Crafting Great Lyrics: A Songwriters Workshop” at UCLA Extension.