Bistro Award winner Mark Winkler is, arguably, one of the most prolific jazz singer today. Love Comes First is his 23rd recording and he shows no signs of slowing down. In his recent show at New York’s Pangea, he announced that in August he will be recording an album with British jazz royalty Claire Martin filled with songs he has written specifically for her and for the project. What is remarkable about Winkler’s output, beyond sheer numbers, is the consistently high quality of the singing, the musicianship, the reverence for standards, and the lyrics on his self-penned songs. Working with multiple producers and the cream of L.A.’s jazz scene, Winkler has created one of his finest releases.
He continues his foray into hip, cool, literate, and witty “jazz cat” mood pieces and commentary that lives in the world of Ben Sidran, Mose Allison, and Dave Frishberg. “Snappin’ on the 2 and 4″, which he wrote with Greg Gordon Smith, is funnier if you’ve heard his intro which slams MAGA folk for being incapable of accomplishing the feat, when politicians like Obama, Clinton, and Biden had no trouble with it. The hard-won wisdom of “Fame Adjacent” (Jamieson Trotter, Winkler) will certainly get a smile of recognition and a nod of agreement. The sharp-tongued name-dropping in “Why Are People So Stupid?” (Dan Siegel, Winkler) hits any number of up-to-the-minute targets getting their just desserts.
His straight-ahead lyric writing is worthy of its own chapter in the Great American Songbook. The title song, written with Dori Amarilio, whose guitar is a major plus, is a Latin-tinged delight. “Nobody Else but You” (Steve Rawlins, Winkler), beginning with a terrific verse like the standard it deserves to be, is an instant classic. The brilliant guitar of Grant Geissman is the perfect counterpart to the singer’s moving, emotional vocals on the timeless “Do You Ever Wonder” (Chris Gordon, Winkler, Shelley Nyman) making the track one of the album’s true stand outs, and a sure addition to any savvy jazz singers ballad repertoire.
Winkler’s covers are more than that, they are true reinventions stylishly adding new colors, new meaning, and new stories to songs we think we know. A brilliant arrangement by Greg Gordon Smith of “Mona Lisa” (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans) manages to capture the haunting mystery of that eternal smile in the music as the singer heightens a dark romance that has rarely even been hinted at before. Raiding the back catalog of Duke Ellington, Winkler brings to life “Everything But You” (w/ Harry James, Don George) in a spirited duet with Tom Culver, with an added lift from pianist-arranger Josh Nelson. He even manages to breathe new, modern life into an irresistible take on “Just in Time” (Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green) with the help of the tasty percussion of Chris Wabich.
Just about all of Winkler’s albums are award-worthy. His singing on this album is better than ever. He is thoughtful, relaxed, and imparts an infectious humor, dramatic heft, and true emotion. Love Comes First is a perfect introduction to his art.
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Love Comes First, produced by Greg Gordon Smith, Steve Rawlins, Dori Amarilio, Mark Winkler; released May, 1, 2026 on Café Pacific Records.
Gerry Geddes, critic for BistroAwards.com, is an award-winning director, writer, teacher, performer, lyricist, and a contributor to the podcast Troubadours and Raconteurs. He conceived and directed the acclaimed musical revues Monday in the Dark with George (Bistro and MAC Award winner), Put on Your Saturday Suit—Words & Music by Jimmy Webb, and Gerry Geddes & Company (in its five-year residency at Pangea). He has directed singers André De Shields, Darius de Haas, Helen Baldassare, and Lisa Viggiano. He has been active in the cabaret world for over five decades and has produced numerous CDs; his lyrics have been performed and recorded here and in Europe. Gerry’s workshop, The Art of Vocal Performance, is regularly offered to singers of all levels. His memoir of life in NYC, Didn’t I Ever Tell You This?, was recently published and is available at barnesandnoble.com. He is currently at work on his first novel.
