Meet Mark Jeleniewski,

a musical talent whose career began at the young, tender age of 3. His first gig was performing in front of a crowd of 200 people, singing an accapella version of Johnny Horton's Sink the Bismark. Although he was not aware of his own ability at that time, his mother and babusha (Polish for grandmother) recognized it, encouraged him, and watched as he developed into a successful musician.

When Mark was eight, his father brought home an accordion he bought at an auction. He signed Mark up for lessons and his musical journey began. it didn't take long before Mark found himself playing local festivals, state and county fairs, and various private events.

As Mark entered his teenage years, his interest in the Accordion began to diminish as sports and girls became his focus. When Mark was 15, a friend convinced him to play in a band called The Smather's Gang.

With Mark on accordion and vocals, and friends on alto sax and drums, he formed his own band in 1971 called Shades of Blue. Although Mark left the band two years later, the band was successful well into the '90s.

Ta-dah! The piano enters the scene. Mark's interest in the piano began during his senior year in high school. His passion to play was so great that he would sneak into the practice room at school where he would play to his hearts content. During one of these sessions the band director heard him playing and confronted him with the obvious ques-tion, "Why aren't you in the stage band?" Mark's reply, "Because I am not a piano player." "You sound like a piano player to me," said the band director. The next day Mark was a member of the stage band playing the instrument he was born to play. The following month he was recruited into an 8-piece pop/rock band called Harmony Road, playing various events and showcasing throughout the northwestern states and Canada.

Mark had the honor of performing at the Cathedral in Notre Dame when he was involved with a choir touring Europe. He wore many hats in this band, playing the piano, drums, and singing. It was then that Mark's spiritual and emotional ties to his music were inspired. He became aware of the impact one's music can have on communicating and connecting with people, thus moving him to write his own songs and developing a style he's proud to call his own.

Mark's music ranges from classical to jazz with personal favorites from Bach to James Taylor. Before entertaining as a solo pianist, Mark was the member of another band called Freeway which was a top working night-club act from 1979 to 1983. Unfortunately, a record deal gone bad caused Mark to reorganize and begin thinking about a solo act. That's when playing alone, being his own boss, and being in control of his own career became a reality. Soloing had always held an element of interest, intrigue, and romance for Mark. For him, being able to create a musical world all on his own was, and still is, a satisfying and rewarding experience. So, he's still playing after all these years.

Yet another stepping stone on his path to musical success came when Mark decided to build his own recording studio and formed his own record label, Mark J. Music. (You can probably figure out why he shortened it to "J".)

His musical works are not his only accomplishments. During his earlier solo piano days, he embarked on another achievement he holds dear. This would be his marriage to his high school sweetheart, Karen. They have 2 great kids, Emily Ann and Mark John (looking very cute above). Mark can be quoted saying, "My marriage and family have been my highest achievements, and the fact that I can support my family through my music is my greatest success."