Sally Palmer and Mark Lavin formed the Palmer Lavin Duo in the summer of 2002 when they were featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s "Oregon Art Beat" show. Since then, the Palmer Lavin Duo has performed at the "Jazz at Newport" festival and the Newport Performing Arts Center, Portland area clubs, resorts on the Oregon coast, the Salem Arts Fair, and many other clubs and special winery and private events. For the coming year, they are traveling and booking concerts and festivals around the Northwest, and in California and other Western states.

Before meeting Mark, Sally worked with many of the top jazz musicians from Portland and the Willamette Valley, on stage and in clubs, in big bands, and as a soloist accompanying herself on piano. She has recorded three albums of original music, and continues to write new material for the Duo.

Mark was raised in the Los Angeles area where his father Bud Lavin was one of the top pianists. He studied guitar with Tom Moellering in Santa Cruz, California, and Davis Ramey in San Francisco. Throughout his lifelong musical career he has played almost every style of music, and he has taught guitar and bass. Now he focuses all of his time on the small group jazz which has always been his first love.

Their CD, “Prelude To A Kiss”, was released in 2002.