Mark Brooks is a versatile, sought-after New Orleans bassist and singer who holds down the groove at regular gigs around the city and who tours the globe. He is also a talented actor and film musician. Brooks grew up in a musical family that includes his brother, guitarist Detroit, and sister, the late vocalist Juanita, and pursued a music degree at Southern University of Baton Rouge, where he was a protégé of the late jazz master and teacher Alvin Batiste. Over the course of his prolific career Brooks has performed with a Who’s Who of music legends, including Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Lou Rawls, Henry Butler, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the Fats Domino Band. He can be seen and heard regularly at storied venues such as Preservation Hall, Mahogany Hall, and Fritzel’s Jazz Pub, or touring with the likes of Dr. Michael White or the German-based New Orleans Jazz Band of Cologne, and can be found performing on many jazz recordings. 

Brooks is also active on television and film, as both an on-screen musical performer and actor and as a soundtrack artist, with roles in films such as Clint Eastwood’s The Bridges of Madison County, the Ray Charles biopic Ray, and One Night in Miami. He is also prolific in television and streaming channels, appearing on several episodes of HBO’s Treme series, the TNT series Memphis Beats, American Horror Story, NCIS New Orleans, HBO’s Roots remake, Interview with the Vampire, Regis and Kathie Lee, and the PBS special River of Song. In a new twist to his movie career, he has become a bass coach for actors such as Larenz Tate in his role in the film Girls Trip and Josh Hartnett in the series Paradise Lost.