Tommy Mars

Tommy Mars (far right) at a concert with Frank Zappa's band at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York on October 25, 1980

Tommy Mars (* 26. October 1951 as Thomas Mariano ) is an American keyboardist , known for his work with Frank Zappa .

Life

Mars began taking piano lessons at the age of eight and soon developed a keen interest in keyboards and synthesizers , which he incorporated into his personal style. Mars graduated from Hartt College of Music in West Hartford , Connecticut in 1972 . He then kept himself afloat with various jobs, including as a choir director, church organist and silent film pianist. In an interview in Keyboard Magazine (1980), Mars describes one of his more unusual jobs: “I was playing in a pub with a revolving counter in Kodiak , Alaska , where drunk Japanese and Russian fishermen kicked me in the back when I didn't listen to an ethnic folk song their satisfaction ”.

Although Mars only knew the pieces King Kong and Peaches en Regalia from Zappa's repertoire , he played and passed an audition with Frank Zappa arranged by the percussionist Ed Mann and was able to join his band. He was an integral part of Zappa's band from 1977 to 1982, can be seen in the movie Baby Snakes and heard on many Frank Zappa albums.

After his time with Zappa he played with Steve Vai and Stuart Hamm . In the mid-1990s, Mars founded The Band From Utopia , which is made up of ten former members from Zappa's bands and plays Zappa's music as a tribute band .

In 2007 the album Strange News From Mars was released, a collaboration with Jon Larsen in which other Zappa alumni such as Bruce Fowler , Jimmy Carl Black and Arthur Barrow participated. In 2008, Tommy Mars played on three tracks on The Jimmy Carl Black Story album with the original drummer of the Mothers Of Invention , Jimmy Carl Black.

In spring 2009 the album No Forest Fire was released, on which Tommy Mars collaborated with Bruce Fowler , Walt Fowler , Kurt McGettrick , Larry Klimas , Arthur Barrow and Vinnie Colaiuta .

In 2010, Tommy Mars recorded the surrealist audio book Willie Nickerson's Egg , written by Jon Larsen and published in 2011.

Equipment, sound and style

As a keyboard sound, Tommy Mars often uses a sound that is modeled on the tone of the French horn . A Korg vocoder is also often used for sound surfaces and chords. Mars describes this sound as a women's choir or angel choir. In addition, Tommy Mars uses an EML ElectroComp, a Fender Rhodes , a Yamaha CS-80 and an EML SynKey. Another peculiarity of his style is his scat singing , in which he often duplicates his vocal lines on the keyboard. This ability was decisive for passing his audition with Frank Zappa. Mars' improvisational skills range from jazz to classical to rock. In addition, he often uses the technique of musical quotations in his improvisations.

Discography (selection)

Sheik Yerbouti with Frank Zappa (1979)
Joe's Garage Act I, Acts II & III with Frank Zappa (1979)
Tinsel Town Rebellion with Frank Zappa (1980)
You Are What You Is with Frank Zappa (1981)
Shut Up 'N Play Yer Guitar with Frank Zappa (1981)
Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch with Frank Zappa (1982)
The Man from Utopia with Frank Zappa (1983)
Baby Snakes with Frank Zappa (1983, recorded 1977)
Them or Us with Frank Zappa (1984)
Flex-Able with Steve Vai (1984)
Meets the Mothers of Prevention with Frank Zappa (1985)
Western Vacation u. a. with Steve Vai and Bob Harris (1986)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 with Frank Zappa (1988)
Radio Free Albemuth with Stuart Hamm (1988)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 with Frank Zappa (1989)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 with Frank Zappa (1991)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 5 with Frank Zappa (1992, contains a concert recording from 1982)
You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 6 with Frank Zappa (1992)
Buffalo with Frank Zappa (2007, concert recording from 1980 with Steve Vai, Vinnie Colaiuta and others)