Don Markese

Don Markese is a celebrated multi-instrumentalist, arranger, composer, and producer whose career bridges touring stages and Hollywood recording studios. A natural musician from an early age, he began on Alto Saxophone as a child, expanded to Clarinet and Flute, and ultimately earned a B.A. in Music Education from Northern Illinois University—training that sharpened both his musicality and professionalism. In 1977, Don left his home town of Chicago and relocated to Los Angeles. He worked his way into the top tier of the West Coast music scene, and by 1983, his persistence and versatility led to one of his early major breaks: recording and touring with Neil Diamond, a relationship that continued to weave through his decades-long career. Known for his expressive tone and technical command on Saxophones, Clarinets, Flutes, and Ethnic Winds, Don’s playing can be heard across a wide range of Film, Television, Commercials, and Record Album Projects. He has also appeared on-screen as a musician in "That Thing You Do!" and "Tapeheads", and has contributed behind the scenes on many productions such as Ghost Town, Disturbia, Whiplash, The Motorcycle Diaries, Mad About You, American Idol, The Voice, The Incredibles 1&2, and Spider-Man, just to name a few... Beyond performance, Don is highly sought after for arranging, composing, and producing, and he received a Platinum Album for his work on the "That Thing You Do" film soundtrack. He has also released his original music under his own name, including projects like "File Under Kool" and "Spirit Flows".