markle

ABOUT

Mark has been playing drums since early childhood, first introduced to the rudiments at the age of five by his father, a regular drummer on the traditional jazz circuit across West and Central London during the 1960s and 70s.

In his late teens, Mark began formal study under Francis Seriau at Drumtech (West London), where he trained alongside and crossed paths with players such as Neil Wilkinson (Joan Armatrading, Everything But The Girl) and Steve White (The Style Council, Paul Weller).

Since then, Mark has played extensively across the UK in venues ranging from pubs, clubs, and universities to jazz festivals. He is an experienced and reliable drummer, well-versed in covers spanning the 1960s to the present day, with a strong grounding in rock and blues.

While drums have always been his main instrument, Mark is also a multi-instrumentalist. He sings and plays piano and acoustic guitar, performing cover material which he shares on his YouTube channel, and has also been known to play saxophone. This broader instrumental background informs his drumming, bringing a strong sense of musicality, dynamics, and awareness of song structure.

While these styles have formed the backbone of much of his playing, Mark’s enduring passion is jazz.

Screen name:: markle
Member since:: May 09 2006; Active within 1 month
Level of commitment:: Committed
Years playing music:: 40
Gigs played:: Over 100
Tend to practice:: 2-3 times per week
Available to gig:: 1 night a week
Most available:: Nights

Influences

His influences are wide-ranging, drawing from big band, jazz, blues, rock, folk, and singer-songwriter traditions, bringing musicality, feel, and adaptability to every project.