Mark Isham (born September 7, 1951) is an American trumpeter, synthesist, a… Read Full Bio ↴Mark Isham (born September 7, 1951) is an American trumpeter, synthesist, and composer. He works in a variety of genres, including jazz, electronic, and film.

Isham was born in New York City. He studied classical music at an early age and played trumpet, piano and violin. The Isham family later moved to San Francisco, where Mark found work in several of the local orchestras. He also became actively involved in the Bay Area rock and roll scene of the 1960s, performing live with several of the local groups.

One of his early recordings "Group 87" was released as a demo LP to college radio stations. Few commercially available pressings of this first release are available > though several custom CD burns (CBS/Sony denies existence, but providing the label & issue number through their custom burn service known as [SONY MUSIC SPECIAL PRODUCTS] can be had)!> I believe this is "THE DEFINITIVE ISHAM" against all others will be judged! One other Group 87 album followed titled "A Career in Dada Processing", a reflection attesting to the learning curve associated with the emerging CD Format. It was released with very limited availability. Both albums in the "Group 87" moniker are a bit mechanical, utilizing heavy sampling, forceful sequencing, strong percussion and a progressive edginess as compared to the later Isham releases. Mark Isham next released his self-titled "Vapor Drawings", softening the stylings of the group, but with a emphasis on his trumpeting skills, that as they matured developed into the sound that would be identified as his own unique sound. He has a MYSPACE page currently, where all available recordings can be ordered.

His albums Castalia (1988) and Tibet (1989) were both Grammy-nominated. He won in 1990 with his album Mark Isham.

In 1992 he published his first orchestral work Five Stories for Trumpet and Orchestra. The same year he earned an Academy Award nomination for the soundtrack of the film A River Runs Through It. During the following years he became a prolific film score composer. Some of his film scores include: Save the Last Dance, Men of Honor, October Sky, Point Break, and the critically acclaimed Crash which won well over 30 awards worldwide, including the Oscar for Best Achievement in Editing, Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Writing/Original Screenplay, and many soundtrack awards.

In 1995 he released an album titled Blue Sun. This was his first album to follow a mainstream contemporary jazz format.

In 1999 he formed a group to interpret the music of Miles Davis's late 1960s through mid-1970s electric jazz fusion and released an album, Miles Remembered: The Silent Way Project, which was recorded live.

In the Deep
Mark Isham Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Thought you had
All the answers to
Rest your heart upon

But something happens
Don't see it coming
You can't stop yourself

Now you're out there swimmin'
In the deep
In the deep

Life keeps tumblin'
You're heart in circles
Till you let go

Till you're shed your pride and
Climb to heaven
And you throw yourself off

And now you're out there spimmin'
In the deep
In the deep
In the deep
In the deep

Now you're out there spinnin'
Now you're out there swimmin'
In the deep
In the deep
In the deep
In the deep

(If you want to be given everything, give everything up)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mark Isham's In the Deep are quite open to interpretation, but one possible reading is about the unpredictability of life and the need to let go of control. The opening lines suggest that the singer, or the listener, thought they had everything figured out, that they had found answers to rely on. However, something happens, and the feeling of control slips away: "Don't see it coming / You can't stop yourself." This could be a difficult life event like a loss, a break-up, or an illness, or simply the realization that life is too complex and uncontrollable to ever have all the answers.

The second verse suggests that when faced with this unpredictability, one needs to let go and trust in a higher power or surrender to fate. "Till you let go / Till you shed your pride and climb to heaven / And you throw yourself off," the lyrics say. The imagery of shedding pride and climbing to heaven suggests a spiritual dimension to the song. Finally, the repeated refrain "Now you're out there swimmin' / In the deep" could be seen as an acknowledgement that once you let go of control, there's no turning back. You're out in the deep, perhaps in deep water, with no choice but to swim and keep moving forward.

Overall, the lyrics of In the Deep suggest a journey towards acceptance and surrender, a recognition that life will always be unpredictable and that one must find a way to navigate it without clinging to the illusion of control. The spiritual dimension adds an element of faith and trust in something greater than oneself. The song's mix of electronic and orchestral elements gives it a cinematic quality, as if it could be the soundtrack to a dramatic moment in a movie.

Line by Line Meaning

Thought you had
You believed you had everything figured out

All the answers to
Solutions to all problems

Rest your heart upon
Something to rely on for emotional support

But something happens
An unforeseen event occurs

Don't see it coming
You never anticipated it

You can't stop yourself
You have no control over it

Now you're out there swimmin'
You're now facing the consequences

In the deep
In a difficult situation

Life keeps tumblin'
Life keeps getting harder

You're heart in circles
Your emotions are in turmoil

Till you let go
Until you stop holding on to things that are not helping