Biography Page

Mark is a drummer/percussionist of British-Belizean heritage known for his playing in the fields of Free Jazz and Free Improvisation and also utilizing his skills and  versatility in various genres which has included working with;

Contemporary Artists with Christian Marclay (Everyday, Screenshots, Solo performance and vinyl release). 

Henryk Hakensen ‘The End’. 

Sam Belinfante, ‘On the One Hand and the Other’

Rock/Dub (with Jah Wobble’s groups including playing with Bill Laswell, Harold Budd, Evan Parker, Molam Lao)

Contemporary Opera : with Sarah Sarhandi/Lore Lixenberg ‘Sensing the Planet’ 

David Ryan, ‘Inscriptions’

Contemporary Classical : with Elaine Mitchener. 

International Contemporary Ensemble.  

Brian Irvine / Jennifer Walshe with The Red Note Ensemble. 

 Matt London. 

He has performed with many renowned improvising musicians at festivals and concerts in Europe including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Joelle Leandre, Roswell Rudd, Myra Melford, Henry Grimes, Sylvie Courvoisier,  Charles Gayle, Sirone and Mahmoud Gania’s Ensemble. 

He plays regularly in the  groups of, amongst others,  Evan Parker, Trevor Watts, John Butcher, Neil Charles, Paul Dunmall, Elliott Sharp, Elaine Mitchener, Gabriele Mitelli.

He has a working duo with Nicole Mitchell, trios 'Shifa' with Pat Thomas and Rachel Musson and ‘The Flame’ with Robert Mitchell, and with many groups as a renowned rhythm section with John Edwards. 

Mark has performed at festivals around the world including Nickelsdorf, Vancouver, Ulrichsburg, FMP Berlin, Roskilde, Glastonbury, Womad, Son d'Hiver, Banlieues Bleues.

He has played in  Brazil, Canada, Japan,  Mozambique, Morocco, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, USA. Also playing at Biennials and Triennials in Australia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Germany and Monaco.

He appears on over  200 CD and Vinyl releases on labels including Cadence, Emanem, Fataka, FMP, Tzadik,  30 Hertz, Hat Hut, Intakt, Leo, MultiKulti, No Business, Otoroku, Red Toucan, Shrike, Slam, Treader, Trost,  Virgin, We Insist! and Zoar.

He has appeared on Stewart Lee's BBC 2 tv programme 'Comedy Vehicle'  and many live broadcasts on Radio 3 music shows including 'Jazz on 3' 'Somethin' Else' 'Late Junction' and 'Here and Now'. 

He was from 2015 to 2022 a Principal Lecturer for seven years at Leeds Conservatoire, running his own Improvisation module, and is a Visiting Lecturer at The Royal Academy of Music. 

Also has been Visiting one to one Drum Tutor at Goldsmiths College, Huddersfield and York Universities. 

He has been a guest tutor running Masterclasses at Guildhall School of Music and Theatre , Trinity Laban,  Dartington Music and Summer School.

RELEASES AS A BANDLEADER

MS/ Hylem Kim/John Edwards

‘Sensitive to Light’ shrike records 2023

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‘Time in Images’ 577 records 2022

RECENT RELEASES. 

By JOHN BUTCHER.

‘Lower Marsh’  duos with JB, Angharad Davies, Pat Thomas, John Edwards & MS

 ni vu vi connu records 2024

‘Unlockings’ quartet with JB, Angharad Davies, Steve Beresford & Pat Thomas

 ni vu vi connu records 2024

‘Fluid Fixations’   A composition for a 14 piece ensemble recorded at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.  

weight of wax records 2024.

RUTH GOLLER

‘Skyllumina’

2 tracks on the album

 international anthem records 2024

PAUL DUNMALL/PAUL ROGERS/MS

‘Wild Life’ 

fundacja sluchaj records 2024

TREVOR WATTS/MS DUO

2 live tracks on a compilation cd, released with Chris Searle’s book ‘Talking the Groove’  

jazz in Britain records 2024

CHRISTOPH GALLIO/DOMINIC LASH/MS

‘Live at Cafe Oto’  

hat hut/ ezz-thetics records 2024

THE FLAME (with Robert Mitchell & Neil Charles)

‘Live at Cafe Oto’ part 2. 

577 records 2024

OLIE BRICE/RACHEL MUSSON/ MS

‘Immense Blue’  

west hill records 2023

ALEX BONNEY/PAUL DUNMALL/ MS

‘The Beholder's Share’ 

bead records. 2023

XHOSA COLE

‘Ibeji’ 1 track on album. 

stoney lane records. 2022

ALEXANDER HAWKINS with EVAN PARKER & THE RIOT ENSEMBLE

‘Togetherness Music’ intakt records 2021 

Selected Reviews

Mark Sanders' world of brushed snares, hand drummed storytelling and enchanted cymbalism is like that of no other drummer…Chris Searle, Morning Star.

Mark is just incredible and immensely diverse, he is at the center of " Kwingyaw & quot; and it is difficult to tell what he is doing to get some of these sounds.

Bruce L Gallenter Downtown Music Gallery. NY

Ambient-pop chord patterns built to a huge, clamorous anthem, driven by a towering performance from drummer Sanders.

John Fordham. The Guardian

…in a set of explorations with drummer Mark Sanders, a gifted player capable of seamless movement between free-rhythms and propulsive swing

John Fordham. The Guardian

Mark Sanders, in the eye of the storm, proved himself as the most musically thinking musician on stage. What he did can only be described as painting with a drum kit, continuously varying with brushes and sticks, playing with mini toms and caressing with his bare hands. He came up with an impressively refined game of sounds that telepathically reacted to his surroundings and exuded coherence. Sanders sketched refined contours with confidence and gave this excellent concert a human face with a few ingenious interventions. Brilliant.

Konfrontationen Festival, July 19-22, 2012 – Nickelsdorf, Austria (English version) Guy Peters

To view which CD's Mark has appeared on - Click here

Mark Sanders