Biography Page

Mark has had a career taking in many styles and genres, this history informs his now mainly free improvisation based work, but he also works in theatre, dance, contemporary classical and conceptual art situations.

He has played with many renowned improvising musicians including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey, Henry Grimes, Roswell Rudd, Okkyung Lee, Barry Guy, Jah Wobble, Charles Gayle, Peter Evans, Trevor Watts, William Parker, Nate Wooley, Ivo Perelman and Nicole Mitchell.

He works with John Edwards in a duo and with groups including trios with Evan Parker, John Butcher, Elliott Sharp and many other groups visiting the UK and in Europe.

Part from a regular duo with John Butcher he also performs John`s composition`Tarab Cuts` which has played festivals in Brazil and Europe.

He also has his own group `StaggerLee Wonders` including Black Radical Poetry and Prose, featuring Cleveland Watkiss and Robert Mitchell, the trio `Shofar` with Pat Thomas and Rachel Musson. He is in a longstanding duo with Sarah Gail Brand which has featured on the BBC`s `The Stuart Lee Show`and in the film `Taking the dog for a Walk`. They also have a group featuring Steve Beresford.

With multi media artist Christian Marclay, Mark has played around Europe in his pieces`Everyday` and `Screenplay` also as a soloist for his 2015 exhibition at The White Cube Gallery, London.

For Conceptual artist Henrik Hakensen`s film `The End` he has performed as an improvising soloist , playing with Orchestras in Glasgow, Sydney and Monte Carlo.

In situations using composition in one form or another Mark works in various projects including `13 Vices` with Jennifer Walshe/Brian Irvine and The Red Note Ensemble, Sarah Sarhandi`s  `Both Universe`, Elaine Michener`s `Sweet Tooth` and has played in various groups of Shabaka Hutchins`.

As a guest with New York`s ICE Ensemble he has performed John Zorn`s `The Tempest` in London and at Huddersfield New Music Festival.

He is a member of the groups of Paul Rogers, Paul Dunmall, Simon H Fell, Julie Kjaer`s `Both Worlds`, in duo and `Frisque Concordance` with Georg Graewe , Mikolaj Trzaska and the groups `Rope` and `Foils`.

Mark is a Lecturer at Leeds College of Music and Guest Tutor at The Royal Academy of Music, London.

Selected Discography
Nicole Mitchel..................Live at Cafe Oto..................otoruku
John Wall/John Edwards..................FGBH..................entr`acte
John Butcher..................Daylight..................emanem
John Butcher..................Treader Duos..................treader
John Butcher/John Edwards..................Last Dream of the Morning
John Edwards..................Nicus Duets..................emanem
John Edwards..................JEMS..................treader
Georg Graewe..................Affretando..................Confront
Uwe Oberg/Frank Paul Schubert/Wilbert de Joode..................Rope..................red toucan
Matthias Muller/Frank P Schubert/J Edwards..................Jersey Lily..................fmr
Rachel Musson/John Edwards..................Bibimbap..................two rivers
John Butcher..............................Daylight....................................................emanem
John Butcher..............................Treader Duos...............................................treader
Olie Brice/Toby Delius..................Somersaults............................................two rivers
Riverloam Trio/Mikolaj Trzaska/Olie Brice.........................Inem Gortn.........................fmr
Steve Beresford.................................................Cue Sheets.........................Tzadik
Gary Curzon/Keith Tippet
John Edwards....................................................The Number...........................slam
Elton Dean/Roswell Rudd.....................................Newsense..............................slam
Elton Dean/Roswell Rudd..................................Rumours of an Incident................slam
Axel Dorner.......................................................Stonecipher...........................fataka
Paul Dunmall/Paul Rogers...................................That Deep Calling........................fmr
Paul Dunmall/Paul Rogers....................................Deep Whole..............................fmr
Paul Dunmall/Pat Thomas....................................Descent II.................................fmr
John Edwards.....................................................Nisus Duets.......................emanem
Agusti Fernadez/John Edwards..............................un llamp que no`...............emanem
Barry Guy/ Ken Vandermark.................................Fox Fire.................................maya
Georg Grawe/Mats Gustaffson
Marcio Mattos/Sebi Tramontana............................Berlin............................wobbly rail
Evan Parker/John Edwards...................................The Two seasons................emanem
Evan Parker/Mikolaj Trzaska/J Edwards.................City Fall.................FSR
Evan Parker/Paul Rogers
Wolter Wierbos...................................................The Ayes have it................emanem
Evan Parker/John Russel/J Edwards.................London Airlift.................FMP
Evan Parker/Paul Rogers
Noel Akchote......................................................Somewhere Bi Lingual............siesta
Spring Heel Jack / Wadada Leo Smith...................Sweetness of the Water.....thirsty ear
Solo.................................................................Swallow Chase......................treader
Solo............................................. Christian Marclay Exhibition...........white cube/vinyl
Han Earl Park/Caroline Pugh/Dominic Lash..................Sirene 1009..................baf
Gary Curzon/Keith Tippet
John Edwards....................................................The Number...........................slam
Elton Dean/Roswell Rudd.....................................Newsense..............................slam
Elton Dean/Roswell Rudd..................................Rumours of an Incident................slam
Axel Dorner.......................................................Stonecipher...........................fataka
Paul Dunmall/Mathew Shipp..................Live In London..................fmr
Paul Dunmall/Paul Rogers....................................Deep Whole..............................fmr
Paul Dunmall/Pat Thomas....................................Descent II.................................fmr
John Edwards.....................................................Nisus Duets.......................emanem
Agusti Fernadez/John Edwards..............................un llamp que no`...............emanem
Barry Guy/ Ken Vandermark.................................Fox Fire.................................maya
Georg Grawe/Mats Gustaffson
Marcio Mattos/Sebi Tramontana............................Berlin............................wobbly rail
Springheel Jack /
John Tchacai..............................................John Tchacai with Strings...............treader
Martin Speake/Oren Marshall.............The Quiet Mind.....................................pumpkin
John Tilbury/John Edwards...........A Field Perpetually in Disorder.........................fataka
Speeq with Sidsel Endressen...OR.................................................................red note
Larry Stabbins/Howard Riley.....Sleeper................................................................fmr
Trevor Watts/Veryan Weston
John Edwards...........................Hear Now.....................................................fmr/dvd
Wadada Leo Smith with Pat Thomas
/ John Coxon......................Abbey Road Quartet.............................................treader
Jah Wobble Evan Parker............Passage to Hades..........................................30 hertz
Jah Wobble...........................I Could of been a Contender.................................trojan
Otomo Yoshihide.....................Core Anode........................................................ftarri
ZFP/ Carlos Zingaro/Simon Fell
Marcio Mattos..........................Ulrichsberg Munchen............................bruce`s fingers

Selected reviews..

….the other special ingredient is the ubiquitous, diverse and constantly creative drummer Mark Sanders, who always outdoes himself, whether playing with restraint or erupting like a dynamo.
Bruce L Gallenter, Downtown Music Gallery. NY

…Mark is just incredible and immensely diverse, he is at the center of "Kwingyaw" 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

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

Mark Sanders