Rubato's music is calm and contemplative. These guitar pieces create a perfect atmosphere for rainy afternoons, conversation, or drinking tea while staring out the window - yet they are also engrossing enough to turn up, close your eyes, and listen to closely.

"Whenever I have such a bad day that I wonder if I've ever done anything worthwhile, I remember the people who have contacted me about how they enjoy Rubato. I have received letters about how this music has been used for cancer recovery, weddings - even a bridal bath (not sure what that is...) as well as for massage and other rituals. One woman wrote to tell me that her daughter insisted on having this music on as part of her 'going to sleep' routine for some years. More than one person keeps Rubato in their car to calm frayed nerves during traffic snarl-ups. I can't tell you how gratifying it is to know this music is serving others."

Rubato
on CDBaby

An album of stories and songs. The sounds vary from intimate to huge, from simple guitar and vocal to a full band with drums, bass, Hammond B3, and all the fixins". A few highlights:

"Companion" has a French horn trio courtesy of symphony player Eric Aachen, while "Deep Shade" is layered with beautiful textures added by famed Latin percussionist John Santos -- And "Leftover Dreams" rocks with lead guitar and bass added by Scruffy the Cat members Steve Fredette and Mac Stanfield.

"I really enjoyed having guests and friends add their special talents to the songs. There were a few, though, where all those lovely textures were best left off. For instance, the song "Practice Makes Perfect" was originally recorded with two electric basses, background vocals and keyboards; but in the end I laid that version aside because the lonely feeling of the song came across better when it was left unadorned. On the other hand "Companion" is a mariner's tale, and Eric's horn calls created an incredible oceanic effect that just makes the song for me."

Practice Makes Perfect
on CDBaby

Now that Cindy is singing with me regularly at shows a new, live duet sound is being created. As we craft this new sound in front of audiences, it is coming clear that the concept of our new CD will be the simplicity of this palette. We are featuring the guitar and the vocals, with additional bass and percussion carefully crafted to reinforce the guitar-and-vocals sound rather than to take a central role. As of this writing (early 2011) we've recorded several new songs- some of which we present here- and are working on more. Enjoy this sneak preview!

... has been performing on guitar since he was twelve. Originally from New England, by high school he was writing songs and playing the coffeehouses in Boston and Cambridge. At 23, his musical world changed when he landed a job as a recording engineer at the legendary Euphoria Sound. As a staff engineer, Mark learned his studio chops with producer Jimmy Miller, who produced The Rolling Stones, Blind Faith, Traffic, and the Spencer Davis Group. He also did sessions with the wild and infamous Johnny Thunders of the New York Dolls, as well as 80’s college radio darlings Scruffy the Cat.

Mark moved to the San Francisco area in 1985, planning to perform more and engineer a little less. He opened for Maria Muldaur at the legendary Sweetwater in Mill Valley, and for Steve Seskin and Even Dozen Jug Band founder and folk icon Stefan Grossman at the Freight and Salvage in Berkeley, but then tendonitis forced Mark to perform a little less and engineer a little more.

Since then, Mark has recorded artists ranging from Latin quartet Cascada de Flores to experimental metal band Neurosis, as well as folk and rock artists of every stripe. Between sessions, he found time to record his guitar solo CD "Rubato, Pieces for Guitar", as well as many of the songs that have now appeared on "Practice Makes Perfect".

In the mid 90’s, Mark began to engineer a different kind of music. He found himself in the cloistered world of classical and early music recording. He's recorded the San Francisco Symphony, the Santa Rosa Symphony, and many other classical groups. Find out more about Mark’s recording life at RubatoRecording.com.

Since his divorce in 2004, Mark revitalized his life yet again. He completed "Practice Makes Perfect" in 2008. After a 25 year hiatus, Mark has returned to performing live.

...has been singing since her youth. In high school in Southern California, she sang in a band that covered REO Speedwagon and Led Zeppelin. And she also toured Europe with the group Madrigals, performing music from the Renaissance and the Middle Ages.

While Cindy never fully left music behind, her geography degrees from UCLA and Cal State Northridge drew her to a career in planning. She has been a consulting planner and is currently working in government, seeking to bring her extensive and varied experience to bear in the San Joaquin Valley.

Mark met Cindy in early 2008. It was immediately clear how perfectly their voices blended. Then Mark asked Cindy if she would please learn a few of his songs. And so she did.

They have been performing together as Mark Lemaire and Twilight ever since. They tour New England every summer, and California appearances have included shows in Carmel Valley, Berkeley, San Francisco, and many places in between. On their European vacation in the fall of 2011, they busked on the streets of Italy and Croatia. They are currently recording a new album together based around their unique vocal blend combined with Mark's inimitable guitar style.

Mark and Cindy live in the San Francisco Bay area.