About Marc Wagnon
Marc Wagnon grew up in Switzerland, and moved to New York in the mid eighties. Previously Marc studied classical percussion at the Geneva Conservatory and then went on to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston where he furthered his mallet playing and composition technique. Once in New York Marc took private conga lessons with the late Frankie Malabe and joined a Brazilian percussion group where he became familiarized with Latin American rhythm. He later studied West African rhythms. Marc started his own ensemble “Shadowlines” which had a succession of up and coming jazz musicians: Dave Douglas, Dave Kikoski, Josh Roseman, Ronnie Burrage to name a few he also was instrumental in creating the band Dr. Nerve with guitarist Nick Didkowsky which went on to record 7 albums.
Marc’s style developed in both composition and free improvisation in working with numerous musicians in the New York downtown scene. In the early 90′s Marc co-founded the group Tunnels with world renowned bassist Percy Jones, releasing a series of critically acclaimed CDs from 1994 to 2006, in the mid nineties Marc joined a reunion of the legendary English band Brand X and recorded the CD ‘Manifest Destiny’ with them, which was released in 1997. In 2001 Marc paired with one of the world most famous rhythm section, Mike Clark and Paul Jackson and released an album “Conjunction” which takes the funk/jazz grooves to new heights
Beside a performer and a composer Marc, teaches workshops here and in Europe, and is very involve in making computers accessible to visually impaired musicians. His interest in electronics has led him to push the boundaries of live performance with the “electronic vibraphone” where he is recognized as a pioneer in this instrument.
His is also giving percussion classes for children using a wide array of styles to teach ploryrhytmy to kids of all ages, and he is about to publish a method, on his method.
Marc also produced and engineered several recording for Sarah Pillow and Mike Clark among others.
Marc is also the founder of Buckyball Music, a company based in New York City dedicated to building a community for musicians by offering to the public, performing and recording services, and as a label Buckyball Records has released 23 recordings so far.
Marc Just released a new solo recording titled Earth is a Cruel Master where with a wide range of interests and textures, he combines great jazz-rock with themes such as recent scientific discoveries, climate change and the human condition.
Marc has an ongoing interest in science, in particular astronomy, he is interested in exploring the boundaries where these two disciplines meet.