Outstanding master of percussion instruments and quintet leader, producer. Head of the Sound Recording Department of Latvian Radio. Participated in more than 70 album recordings, gave master classes in France, Great Britain, Germany, Falkland Islands and elsewhere. Manages the Foundation Contemporary Music Center, produces the International Music Festival "Rīgas Ritmi" and the International Jazz Artists Contest "Riga Jazz Stage".
Worked with Grover Washington Jr., Frank Foster, Ted Curson, Ron McClure, Ronnie Cuber and more. With the purposeful activity of Māris Briežkalns, jazz art in Latvia has gained a more full-sounding breath, a more lasting vision and a good reputation abroad.
The quintet of Māris Briežkalns, in which music is played by Raimonds Macats, Kristaps Lubovs, Viktors Ritovs and Andris Grunte, released two albums in the Latvian Evergreens series, Latgalian Evergreens, Rothko In Jazz, which was also presented at the John Kennedy Center in Washington, BAC (Baryshnikov Arts Center) in New York, London Jazz and elsewhere. From 2012 to 2019, he led as Artistic Director the renewed Latvian Radio Big Band.