Mark Mawby - Biography

The beginnings 

Mark Mawby was born in Lincolnshire in 1962 into a very musical family. His father, originally from Warwickshire, had been involved in brass bands in the North of England for many years, as well as being an accomplished jazz trumpeter. His grandfather, Jack Mawby, led a 36-piece country dance band in the rural Warwickshire of the 1920s and 1930s, himself playing fiddle and cornet. Even though music was always around, especially after the family moved to Manchester in the late 1960s, Mark was not tempted to learn to play until his late teens when, like most teenagers, he became inspired by the rock musicians of the day, and turned to the guitar.  His progress as a rock guitarist was rapid; but his horizons soon changed, exploring classical music and jazz, and studying for several years with Tim Kain in Manchester. Around the same time, he started to accompany his grandfather playing traditional music – his first experience of folk.  

Mark's training

Mark then studied for a music degree in Bangor, North Wales, his major study being ‘ethnomusicology’ — the forerunner of today’s ‘folk music’ degrees! Here, through the fondly remembered ‘Kings Arms’, he came into contact with Irish music for the first time, and took up the fiddle.  In the varied musical atmosphere of the Kings Arms he also heard and absorbed much Welsh and English music, still mainstays of his repertoire.

After graduating and training as a teacher, Mark developed an interest in musical instrument making, and often plays his own instruments.

More recently....

In 1992, after years playing ‘sessions’, he turned to country dance and ceilidh bands, precipitated by a move to West Yorkshire.  For many years he was involved in the ‘Mothers Delight’ ceilidh band.  He was a founder member of the seminal pipe-led group ‘Reed Riot’, with Becky Taylor and David Lim, and played with successful touring band ‘Ceili House’.  Mark continues to play with many of Yorkshire’s best dance musicians, notably Gina le Faux.

Together with Cameron Edgar, Mark was a founder member of ‘Dark Horse’ (now ‘Darc Horse’), the Celtic quartet.

Currently, as well as performing as a solo artiste, Mark plays and sings as a duo with Tony Taffinder.

In recent years, Mark has virtually abandoned the plectrum and returned to finger style for his sensitive and vibrant arrangements of mainly British and Irish folk music.  Oh, and his goal for 2007 is to lose some weight!

Find out where Mark is playing, visit his gigs page.