John Mars

Last updated
John Mars
OriginCanada
GenresPop, rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, percussionist
Years active1960s–present
Website www.johnmars.com

John Mars is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and percussionist. [1] [2] Mars began his musical training at Sykes Music in Brantford, Ontario where he studied the drums with Carl Lemke. In the late 1960s, he played the drums in the band "John Mars and the Martians" [1] with bassist Kevin Cosman and guitarist Stan Baka. The group disbanded after Baka was killed by a drunk driver. Mard then moved to Toronto where he met pianist Stuart Broomer and saxophonist Bill Smith. The three men formed the successful jazz trio "Broomer, Mars & Smith" which actively performed throughout the 1970s. [3] In 1980 Smith left to pursue other projects and the duo "Stuart Broomer & John Mars" was formed. The duo performed up through 1986 and notably released the 1983 album Annihilated Surprise on Ugly Dog Records. [1]

While performing in the jazz duo with Broomer, Mars performed concurrently in the rock band "Brian's Children" which he established with guitarist /songwriter Dave Templeton (Temps) and drummer Teddy Fury in 1979. [2] For this group, Martin served as lead singer and the main songwriter. The group released one single "Cut Her Hair b/w Oh Yeah" which was produced by Daniel Lanois. [2] In 1986 Mars shortened the band's name to "The Children" and formed a new band with guitarist/songwriter Aurelio Lanzalone and bassist Mark Sinkowski. The group performed up through 1991 and went through several membership changes.

In 1988 Mars began performing in the Ontario area with guitarist David Essig. [1] In the mid-1990s he met guitarist Mike Ardelli and the two began performing with their mutual pal drummer Glenn Kimberley in an ad hoc group called the Natural Born Lovers. [2] The band played rockabilly/roots in concert series at various universities. The band disbanded when Ardelli died of a brain tumor at the age of 24.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Bruce</span> Scottish musician (1943–2014)

John Symon Asher Bruce was a Scottish musician. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of rock band Cream. After the group disbanded in 1968, he pursued a solo career and also played with several bands.

The Mojos were a British beat group from the 1960s, best known for their hit UK single, "Everything's Alright", with two other singles charting low in the UK Singles Chart in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Carey</span> American drummer

Daniel Edwin Carey is an American musician and songwriter who is the drummer for the progressive metal band Tool. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as Zaum, Green Jellö, Pigface, Skinny Puppy, Adrian Belew, Carole King, Collide, Meat Puppets, Lusk, and the Melvins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John McLaughlin (musician)</span> English jazz fusion guitarist, founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra (born 1942)

John McLaughlin, also known as Mahavishnu, is an English guitarist, bandleader, and composer. A pioneer of jazz fusion, his music combines elements of jazz with rock, world music, Western classical music, flamenco, and blues. After contributing to several key British groups of the early 1960s, McLaughlin made Extrapolation, his first album as a bandleader, in 1969. He then moved to the U.S., where he played with drummer Tony Williams's group Lifetime and then with Miles Davis on his electric jazz fusion albums In a Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Jack Johnson, Live-Evil, and On the Corner. His 1970s electric band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, performed a technically virtuosic and complex style of music that fused electric jazz and rock with Indian influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Holland (bassist)</span> British jazz musician

David Holland is an English double bassist, bass guitarist, cellist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States since the early 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhythm section</span> Group of musicians within a music ensemble or band

A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm section is often contrasted with the roles of other musicians in the band, such as the lead guitarist or lead vocals whose primary job is to carry the melody.

Monster Voodoo Machine is a Canadian metal band formed in 1991 within Toronto, Ontario. They released two studio albums and three studio EPs in the 1990s, followed by a disbandment in 1998. They reformed in 2007 for sporadic live shows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Husband</span> British jazz and rock musician

Gary Husband is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist, keyboard player and bandleader. He is also a composer, arranger, producer and educator.

Grant Smith & The Power were a popular Canadian rock-soul outfit from the 1960s that had a hit with a cover of Jackie Edwards' "Keep On Running" and was also a training ground for musicians who went on to the likes of McKenna Mendelson Mainline and Motherlode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organ trio</span> Form of jazz ensemble

An organ trio is a form of jazz ensemble consisting of three musicians; a Hammond organ player, a drummer, and either a jazz guitarist or a saxophone player. In some cases the saxophonist will join a trio which consists of an organist, guitarist, and drummer, making it a quartet. Organ trios were a popular type of jazz ensemble for club and bar settings in the 1950s and 1960s, performing a blues-based style of jazz that incorporated elements of R&B. The organ trio format was characterized by long improvised solos and an exploration of different musical "moods".

William Ernest Smith is a Canadian writer, editor, record producer, saxophonist, and clarinetist of English birth. He has served as the editor of CODA magazine since 1976, and is a co-founder of Sackville Records, a Canadian record label that specialized in jazz.

Stuart Broomer is a Canadian editor, music critic, pianist, writer, jazz historian, and composer. He is a former editor with CODA magazine and currently works as an editor at Coach House Books. As a music critic he has written articles for Amazon.com, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Life, Down Beat, Musicworks, Cadence Magazine, ParisTransatlantlic and Signal to Noise. He has also authored more than 60 liner essays for musicians internationally. His book Time and Anthony Braxton (ISBN 978-1551281445) was published by The Mercury Press in 2009. He is a member of the music faculty at George Brown College.

Kevtone is an American musician, percussionist, and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Performing live and in studio, his rhythm style may best be described as improvisational, melodic, progressive, and bluesy, reflecting influences from many genres of music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Squires</span> Canadian band

The Squires or Neil Young & The Squires were a Canadian band formed in 1963 in Winnipeg. It was one of the first bands of singer-songwriter Neil Young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band (rock and pop)</span> Musical ensemble which performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre

A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. Another common formation is a vocalist who does not play an instrument, electric guitarist, bass guitarist, and a drummer. Sometimes, in addition to electric guitars, electric bass, and drums, also a keyboardist plays.

This topic covers events and articles related to 2023 in music.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "John Mars Musician Biography". www.canadianjazzarchive.net. 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "John Mars". The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia. 2019-03-14. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
  3. "Stuart Broomer Musician Biography | Canadian Jazz Archive Online". www.canadianjazzarchive.net. 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2024-11-09.