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All Music Guide:
Money Mark is the alias of Mark Ramos-Nishita, a keyboardist whose funky, retro-flavored riffs earned him the unofficial title of the fourth Beastie Boy. Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawaiian father and a Chicano mother, Nishita moved to the West Coast when he was six; some years later, he hooked up with the Dust Brothers production team and began overdubbing keyboards for the Delicious Vinyl label. While working as a handyman, Nishita accepted a job repairing the Beastie Boys' Silverlake, CA, home; soon, he became a pivotal member of the group's Grand Royal posse and performed on both 1992's Check Your Head and 1994's Ill Communication.
Recorded at his home studio, Money Mark's solo debut, Mark's Keyboard Repair -- a loose, infectious collection of fuzzy organ noodlings performed on vintage equipment -- appeared in 1995 as a set of three 10" records issued on the Los Angeles-based label Love Kit. Although the small pressing sold out almost instantly, the first record in the series found its way to Britain and the offices of Mo'Wax founder James Lavelle, who quickly flew to L.A. to meet with Nishita; a deal was struck and the instrumental Mark's Keyboard Repair was reissued in late 1995. Mark's next release was the more pop-oriented Push the Button in 1998, but he followed with another instrumental album, Change Is Coming, in 2001. Fast forward to 2007, when a shared association with none other than Jack Johnson -- via Beasties producer Mario Caldato, Jr. -- led the way to a contract with Johnson's Brushfire label and a new Money Mark pop album, Brand New by Tomorrow.
Wikipedia:
Mark Ramos-Nishita aka Money Mark is a producer and musician who has collaborated with the Beastie Boys many times. He also appears on the first Banyan album in 1997 as the "Freeway Keyboardist".
Career
His first album, the relatively obscure Mark's Keyboard Repair (1995), was made up of keyboard driven pop-funk songs recorded at demo quality. It was followed up by the Third Version EP in 1996 and Push the Button in 1998. Whereas his 1996 EP was similar to his debut, Push the Button was extremely eclectic, combining aspects of rock music and pop with soul, funk and hip hop. This LP was met with good reviews, as was his 2001 follow up Change is Coming which had a tropical yet danceable disco and funk sound.
Money Mark contributed the keyboard phrase that opens and underpins "Where It's At" from Beck's 1996 album, Odelay. He played keyboards on tour for the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet in support of their self-titled album. He has since become a full member of the quintet, appearing on the live EP with Damo Suzuki called Please Heat This Eventually and several other albums, with his debut full-length collaboration with the group being the Quintet's second LP release, The Apocalypse Inside of an Orange. In 1996, Money Mark contributed the song "Use Your Head (Use A Sua Cabeca)" to the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Rio produced by the Red Hot Organization. He also contributed songs to Red Hot's Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin and Red Hot + Rhapsody a tribute to George Gershwin. He appeared in the 2004 documentary film Moog with Bruce Haack. In September 2006, Money Mark signed to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records label. Brand New By Tomorrow, his first album with Brushfire, was released in February 2007. In late 2006, he opened for Gnarls Barkley at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago. In 2007, Money Mark and The Woodrow Jackson Orchestra recorded a cover version of Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Love's Theme" for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association. Money Mark composed original music for the 2008 documentary film Beautiful Losers. In 2009, he appears as a member of Lord Newborn and The Magic Skulls, a collaboration with Shawn Lee and Tommy Guerrero.
In 2011, he contributed the Mario C. Remix of "Tropicaliá" with Beck and Seu Jorge as well as a version of the song "Tropical Affair" with Thalma de Freitas and João Parahyba for Red Hot Organization's most recent charitable album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot + Rio." Proceeds from the sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.
Money Mark contributed to many of the tracks used in the soundtrack to the film Horrible Bosses; working with Mike McCready and Stefan Lessard.
