Mark Sanders
Composer recipient 2024
Mark Sanders (b. 1960), a renowned drummer /percussionist of British-Belizean heritage, has been at the forefront of improvised music worldwide for the last 30–40 years. Known for his unique playing style in the fields of Free Jazz and Free Improvisation, as well as skills and versatility in other genres, he has worked with an impressively broad range of artists. He has performed with a host of renowned improvising musicians including Roscoe Mitchell, Wadada Leo Smith, Joelle Leandre, Roswell Rudd, Myra Melford, Henry Grimes, Sylvie Courvoisier, Charles Gayle, John Butcher and Evan Parker.
He has also worked with contemporary artists such as Christian Marclay, Henryk Hakensen, Sam Belinfante, as well those in the opera and classical fields such as Sarah Sarhandi/Lore Lixenberg, David Ryan and Elaine Mitchener.
“It is taking quite a time to sink in, but the immediate feeling was of elation, and a sense of relief and acknowledgement that for the next three years I can concentrate on working on my own music, giving life to new ideas and projects. I am extremely grateful to the judges, and all those involved, to be receiving this prestigious award.”
Having appeared on over 200 recordings, Sanders is the improvising drummer of choice in the UK and across Europe, but rarely leads his own projects except for the albums Time in Images (2022) and Sensitive to Light (2022). His experience means he has a deep understanding of the processes needed to perform sensitive, dynamic and creative music working with free improvisers or within composed music.
Sanders also uses his extensive improvising skills to inform his work as an educator with various posts held at prestigious music institutions across the UK.
Recent performances include Evan Parker 80th Birthday Concerts, London and Birmingham (2024). Shifa with Pat Thomas and Rachel Musson at Saalfelden Free Jazz Festival, Austria (2024). Performing with Myra Melford in her two-day Residency at Cafe Oto (2024). A five-day residency in Coimbra, Portugal, in a collaboration of British and Portuguese Improvising Musicians (2024). A concert at Cafe Oto celebrating John Butcher’s 70th Birthday (2024). Duo with Nicole Mitchell at Skopje Jazz Festival (2024).
Concerts with Wadada Leo Smith’s ‘Fire-Love Expanse’ Ensemble.
14th November, Guimaraes Jazz Festival. Guimaraes, Portugal.
18th November, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Huddersfield, UK.
Examples of work
GHOST DANCE, 2023
Mark Sanders, solo drums and percussion. Recorded at Sansom Studios. Released on New York based label 577 Records.
THE BEHOLDER’S SHARE, 2023
Alex Bonney, electronics and trumpet. Paul Dunmall, saxophones. Mark Sanders, drums and percussion. Recorded at Sansom Studios Birmingham. Released on Bead Records.
SENSITIVE TO LIGHT, 2023
Hyelim Kim, Daegeum. John Edwards, double bass. Mark Sanders, drums and percussion. Recorded by Alex Ward at The Vortex, London. Released on Shrike Records.
IMMENSE BLUE, 2022
Rachel Musson, saxophone. Olie Brice, double bass. Mark Sanders, drums and percussion. Recorded live at The Vortex by Alex Bonney. Released on West Hill Records.