Mark Ellis Stephens was born in the seaside community of Carmel, California and grew up in the neighboring Monterey Peninsula. It was in church where Mark started playing piano, his first of many instruments while in school. Initially playing by ear then taking private lessons, Mark got the best of both the instructional and exploratory approaches to music making.

He was lured into jazz by the sophisticated chord changes of progressive rockers Steely Dan. “Part of what made me work so long ...