Marc's Biography
Marc Wagnon grew up in Switzerland, where he studied classical percussion at the Geneva Conservatory. Marc moved to Boston, Massachusetts in 1981 to attend the Berklee School of Music, furthering his mallet technique and studying composition. He eventually settled in New York City, studying Latin American and West African rhythms. He joined a Brazilian percussion group and formed his own progressive jazz ensemble, Shadowlines. Marc id the founder of Buckyball Music
Marc's interest in merging new ideas with the musical influences he is exposed to in New York City is his incentive for working within its wealth of creativity. He has released three solo albums which include contributions from a succession of jazz luminaries, and was instrumental in creating the avant-rock band Dr. Nerve, which went on to record 7 albums. Throughout the mid-1980s to 1990s, Marc's style developed in both composition and free improvisation, mixing sound sampling and manipulated natural sounds in working with numerous musicians in the New York downtown scene. This led him to form the New York Improvisers Group, a 10-piece ensemble based on conducted improvisation.
Marc's interest in science grew out of a fascination with astronomy. Primarily self-taught, he also attended lectures and classes at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He has built two telescopes, and is inspired by inventor, engineer and philosopher Buckminster Fuller.
In the 1990s, Marc co-founded the group Tunnels with world renown fretless bassist pioneer Percy Jones, releasing five 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 the group, which was released in 1997.
In 2001 Marc paired with one of the world's most famous rhythm sections, Mike Clark and Paul Jackson (Herbie Hancock's Headhunters), to create “Conjunction”, an album rooted in traditional funk that takes the jazz-fusion style towards a new musical horizon.
With these ensembles Marc toured extensively in the U.S. Europe, Japan and Brazil.
In 1997, Marc founded Buckyball Music, Inc., a company based in New York City that is dedicated to building a community for musicians by offering teaching, performing, recording and video services.
His interest in electronics has led him to push the boundaries of live performance with the electronic vibraphone, a sampled-based, 'midi' electronic percussion instrument, where he is recognized as a pioneer of this instrument. In his previously released “Earth is a Cruel Master”, Marc took on performing the lion's share of the instrumentation, mallets, drums and keyboards. Marc also produced and engineered several recordings for singer Sarah Pillow and drummer Mike Clark, among others.
As an educator, Marc has been teaching students of all ages for over 20 years. He ran several workshops on improvisation at the EJMA jazz school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is the percussion and music technology teacher at The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School in New York City. He has done beta testing for the screen reader VoiceOver, which is part of the Mac OS system, and is very involved in making computers accessible to visually impaired musicians. Marc has published an eBook teaching method for group percussion classes, which does not involve any need for previous knowledge of music technique. This is based on group dynamics, and by starting with simple concepts by singing the various drum strokes and polyrhythms, which allows the group to attain a level of complexity that would normally demand longer preparation.
Marc's interest in merging new ideas with the musical influences he is exposed to in New York City is his incentive for working within its wealth of creativity. He has released three solo albums which include contributions from a succession of jazz luminaries, and was instrumental in creating the avant-rock band Dr. Nerve, which went on to record 7 albums. Throughout the mid-1980s to 1990s, Marc's style developed in both composition and free improvisation, mixing sound sampling and manipulated natural sounds in working with numerous musicians in the New York downtown scene. This led him to form the New York Improvisers Group, a 10-piece ensemble based on conducted improvisation.
Marc's interest in science grew out of a fascination with astronomy. Primarily self-taught, he also attended lectures and classes at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He has built two telescopes, and is inspired by inventor, engineer and philosopher Buckminster Fuller.
In the 1990s, Marc co-founded the group Tunnels with world renown fretless bassist pioneer Percy Jones, releasing five 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 the group, which was released in 1997.
In 2001 Marc paired with one of the world's most famous rhythm sections, Mike Clark and Paul Jackson (Herbie Hancock's Headhunters), to create “Conjunction”, an album rooted in traditional funk that takes the jazz-fusion style towards a new musical horizon.
With these ensembles Marc toured extensively in the U.S. Europe, Japan and Brazil.
In 1997, Marc founded Buckyball Music, Inc., a company based in New York City that is dedicated to building a community for musicians by offering teaching, performing, recording and video services.
His interest in electronics has led him to push the boundaries of live performance with the electronic vibraphone, a sampled-based, 'midi' electronic percussion instrument, where he is recognized as a pioneer of this instrument. In his previously released “Earth is a Cruel Master”, Marc took on performing the lion's share of the instrumentation, mallets, drums and keyboards. Marc also produced and engineered several recordings for singer Sarah Pillow and drummer Mike Clark, among others.
As an educator, Marc has been teaching students of all ages for over 20 years. He ran several workshops on improvisation at the EJMA jazz school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and is the percussion and music technology teacher at The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School in New York City. He has done beta testing for the screen reader VoiceOver, which is part of the Mac OS system, and is very involved in making computers accessible to visually impaired musicians. Marc has published an eBook teaching method for group percussion classes, which does not involve any need for previous knowledge of music technique. This is based on group dynamics, and by starting with simple concepts by singing the various drum strokes and polyrhythms, which allows the group to attain a level of complexity that would normally demand longer preparation.
Since 2007, Marc has been a co-creator of the transmedia project Perpetual Motion. The project is divided between different periods in history, and is a combination of narration, period music and video that dovetails the coinciding discoveries in science and music. Two touring programs, one centering around Nicolaus Copernicus and the other around Galileo Galilei, feature as narrator the best-selling science writer Dava Sobel. Her storytelling is accompanied by the avant-garde music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods by the early music ensemble Galileo's Daughters, and images, animation and video that Marc has created and mixes 'live' during each performance. Perpetual Motion has been performed at several music festivals and universities in the United States and Canada.
Recently Marc became a volunteer for NASA and JPL as a "Solar System Ambassador", check out the Solar System page for more info about this exciting project.
Marc has released his latest album “Interesting Times” featuring vocalist Sarah Pillow. In addition to vibraphone, Marc plays half of the drum tracks on this album as well as percussion. This fourth solo release reflects on the very “Interesting Times” we live in, and it all translates into a realistic and hope-filled view of the future.
Marc was commissioned by TAMCO to write the music for the play by Michel Vinaver "11 septembre 2001", an oratorio directed by Pierre Dubey, which retraces the events of that day and its socio-political consequences. It is a one hour presentation that will be shown in Geneva, Switzerland from September 11 to the 20th 2021.
In 2022 Marc finished a DVD/streaming release for Galileo's Daughters' program, "Perpetual Motion", and companion CD: Sound of Galileo's World released this month (September 2022).
And in continuation of his work with Geneva based theater group TAMCO, coached the actors to perform live percussions in their new production: Les Troyennes. And created a unique sound design for the play using an improvisation by Wayne Lopes and Sylvie Degiez.
In 2023 Marc in conjunction with singer Sarah Pillow started a new series called "Incarnate Jazz", which mixes Medieval music with Jazz at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City. Featuring many musicians Ingrid Jensen - trumpet, Edsel Gomez - piano, Mike Clark - drums, Christopher Preston Thomas - harp/voice, and many more.
This year also saw the reunion of the "Origin Trio" with Marc on drums and Van Manakas and Wayne Lopes on guitar, and last but not least, the first performance of "Jazz@stronomy" a planetarium event mixing astronomy and live music.
Recently Marc became a volunteer for NASA and JPL as a "Solar System Ambassador", check out the Solar System page for more info about this exciting project.
Marc has released his latest album “Interesting Times” featuring vocalist Sarah Pillow. In addition to vibraphone, Marc plays half of the drum tracks on this album as well as percussion. This fourth solo release reflects on the very “Interesting Times” we live in, and it all translates into a realistic and hope-filled view of the future.
Marc was commissioned by TAMCO to write the music for the play by Michel Vinaver "11 septembre 2001", an oratorio directed by Pierre Dubey, which retraces the events of that day and its socio-political consequences. It is a one hour presentation that will be shown in Geneva, Switzerland from September 11 to the 20th 2021.
In 2022 Marc finished a DVD/streaming release for Galileo's Daughters' program, "Perpetual Motion", and companion CD: Sound of Galileo's World released this month (September 2022).
And in continuation of his work with Geneva based theater group TAMCO, coached the actors to perform live percussions in their new production: Les Troyennes. And created a unique sound design for the play using an improvisation by Wayne Lopes and Sylvie Degiez.
In 2023 Marc in conjunction with singer Sarah Pillow started a new series called "Incarnate Jazz", which mixes Medieval music with Jazz at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City. Featuring many musicians Ingrid Jensen - trumpet, Edsel Gomez - piano, Mike Clark - drums, Christopher Preston Thomas - harp/voice, and many more.
This year also saw the reunion of the "Origin Trio" with Marc on drums and Van Manakas and Wayne Lopes on guitar, and last but not least, the first performance of "Jazz@stronomy" a planetarium event mixing astronomy and live music.
A review of the play "11 septembre 2001"
At Tamco, Genevan Pierre Dubey brilliantly staged a play by the great French author. In 49 minutes and 39 seconds, five actors descend the slope of the disaster
And to think that this September 11, 2001 almost escaped us! In Geneva, at Tamco, this dispensary made for adventure, Pierre Dubey is staging the play of the most youthful of our authors, Michel Vinaver, 95 years old. To infernal music, that of a chase in the avenues of Manhattan - a formidable composition by New York-based Lausanne artist Marc Wagnon - the fall of the towers is replayed as in a cubist painting. In 49 minutes, 39 seconds and three hundredths, the exact length of the soundtrack, an idea of America collapses and an ideal of the theater asserts itself. From the audience, we are struck by the beauty of the gesture, a way of honoring the text, of translating its heterogeneity, of making use of its intelligence.
Since the 1950s, Michel Vinaver has been peeling back our stories, those which make the unglamorous mayhem of our companies - he was director of Gillette France - those which make the headlines of the media. He extracts from it sentences which are the mantras of an era, situations which are our commonplaces, stories which are the legends of tomorrow. Written in a hurry, but with the distance of a forensic scientist, September 11, 2001 (L’Arche) is the precipitation of a catastrophe more than a restitution, an oratorio on the ruins as much as a requiem. The actor Pierre Dubey, a friend of Michel Vinaver since 1980, was eager to put on this work, after “L’Ordinaire” last year in the same place.
A hiss of eternity
"When we were assured that Loterie Romande would support us, I asked Marc Wagnon to compose a soundtrack for this text which is presented as an opera libretto, but which was still awaiting its music", says Pierre Dubey.
This was last March. Wagnon decided to integrate all the recorded voices of the planes. These were performed in a studio in New York by American actors and singers under the direction of Sarah Pillow. They are the texture of the show, its part beyond the grave, its hiss of eternity. The writer was keen on this mixture of languages, this effect of distance that French induces, this accent of truth that English brings.
So this is how it goes: You follow a long corridor, dotted with portraits, men, women, children who smile at posterity, victims of the attacks lit by a candle. In the room where you come out, five passengers gaze in the distance, impervious to the sound flow, the voice of the airport, the hubbub of transhumance. This is a first photo and it instantly comes undone: "Nobody move, please, we're heading back to the airport."
Words about the unspeakable
The countdown begins. The Boeing 767 crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The pedestals that served as seats become the base of a spectral city - the ingenious signature of decorator Valérie Jaccottet. As with Sophocles then, a messenger, significantly a window cleaner, tries to put words to the unspeakable. With the gesture of the sower, he scatters leaflets at our feet: the suspended promises of those who leave unexpectedly.
September 11, 2001 sped off at full speed and in all directions, because Michel Vinaver is never unequivocal. He organizes the material for a still open trial. On their platform, Sandrine Girard, Erika von Rosen, Frédéric Perrier, Frédéric Polier and Frédéric Landenberg excel in transformations on sight: they are our silent humanity, caught between two tirades, George Bush and Bin Laden, each invoking his own God. Vinaver, the author of 'The Job Application' does not convey any messages. Didn't he write in ‘Self-Examination’ in 1978: "Like the archery shooter in Zen, I don't aim at anything; I just try to shoot well"? It is up to the viewer to be his own messenger. The ideal of a certain theater, yes.
By Alexandre Demidoff - Le Temps
https://www.letemps.ch/.../geneve-choc-11-septembre-2001...
And to think that this September 11, 2001 almost escaped us! In Geneva, at Tamco, this dispensary made for adventure, Pierre Dubey is staging the play of the most youthful of our authors, Michel Vinaver, 95 years old. To infernal music, that of a chase in the avenues of Manhattan - a formidable composition by New York-based Lausanne artist Marc Wagnon - the fall of the towers is replayed as in a cubist painting. In 49 minutes, 39 seconds and three hundredths, the exact length of the soundtrack, an idea of America collapses and an ideal of the theater asserts itself. From the audience, we are struck by the beauty of the gesture, a way of honoring the text, of translating its heterogeneity, of making use of its intelligence.
Since the 1950s, Michel Vinaver has been peeling back our stories, those which make the unglamorous mayhem of our companies - he was director of Gillette France - those which make the headlines of the media. He extracts from it sentences which are the mantras of an era, situations which are our commonplaces, stories which are the legends of tomorrow. Written in a hurry, but with the distance of a forensic scientist, September 11, 2001 (L’Arche) is the precipitation of a catastrophe more than a restitution, an oratorio on the ruins as much as a requiem. The actor Pierre Dubey, a friend of Michel Vinaver since 1980, was eager to put on this work, after “L’Ordinaire” last year in the same place.
A hiss of eternity
"When we were assured that Loterie Romande would support us, I asked Marc Wagnon to compose a soundtrack for this text which is presented as an opera libretto, but which was still awaiting its music", says Pierre Dubey.
This was last March. Wagnon decided to integrate all the recorded voices of the planes. These were performed in a studio in New York by American actors and singers under the direction of Sarah Pillow. They are the texture of the show, its part beyond the grave, its hiss of eternity. The writer was keen on this mixture of languages, this effect of distance that French induces, this accent of truth that English brings.
So this is how it goes: You follow a long corridor, dotted with portraits, men, women, children who smile at posterity, victims of the attacks lit by a candle. In the room where you come out, five passengers gaze in the distance, impervious to the sound flow, the voice of the airport, the hubbub of transhumance. This is a first photo and it instantly comes undone: "Nobody move, please, we're heading back to the airport."
Words about the unspeakable
The countdown begins. The Boeing 767 crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The pedestals that served as seats become the base of a spectral city - the ingenious signature of decorator Valérie Jaccottet. As with Sophocles then, a messenger, significantly a window cleaner, tries to put words to the unspeakable. With the gesture of the sower, he scatters leaflets at our feet: the suspended promises of those who leave unexpectedly.
September 11, 2001 sped off at full speed and in all directions, because Michel Vinaver is never unequivocal. He organizes the material for a still open trial. On their platform, Sandrine Girard, Erika von Rosen, Frédéric Perrier, Frédéric Polier and Frédéric Landenberg excel in transformations on sight: they are our silent humanity, caught between two tirades, George Bush and Bin Laden, each invoking his own God. Vinaver, the author of 'The Job Application' does not convey any messages. Didn't he write in ‘Self-Examination’ in 1978: "Like the archery shooter in Zen, I don't aim at anything; I just try to shoot well"? It is up to the viewer to be his own messenger. The ideal of a certain theater, yes.
By Alexandre Demidoff - Le Temps
https://www.letemps.ch/.../geneve-choc-11-septembre-2001...
“Forward-thinking composing supported by spectacular musicianship.” John Barron, allaboutjazz.com
"this is an exemplary set that delivers the goods on many levels", Peter Thelen Exposé Magazine
“Massive talent all around.” John Collinge, Progression Magazine
"…he is not only an incredible mallet player but also a first rate drummer!” Steve Roberts, ZNR.com
“Shows his versatility and talent as a composer, producer and musician.” O's Place Jazz Magazine
“…playing with a wide range of interests and textures, Wagnon is the new progressive darling to
watch.” Chris Spector, Midwest Records
“…holds your attention on every tune of this album.” Rotcod Zzaj, improvijazznation
"DJ’s LOVE the Marc Wagnon and have played it lots" KUMD redway CA, Cynthia
"the Marc Wagnon record is just downright fabulous! WEMU 89.1 FM Ypsilanti MI, Linda Yohn music director
"this is a quality recording and quality artist" KCRW Los Angeles CA, Eric Lawrence
Marc's Discography
Solo Projects:
Marc Wagnon interesting Times (Buckyball Records) 2019
Marc Wagnon Earth is a Cruel Master (Buckyball Records) 2010
Marc Wagnon An Afterthought (Buckyball Rec.) 1999
Marc Wagnon Shadowlines LP (Sun Jump) 1988 re-released CD (Buckyball Rec.) 1999
Marc Wagnon Earth is a Cruel Master (Buckyball Records) 2010
Marc Wagnon An Afterthought (Buckyball Rec.) 1999
Marc Wagnon Shadowlines LP (Sun Jump) 1988 re-released CD (Buckyball Rec.) 1999
With Tunnels:
Tunnels Natural Selection Buckyball Records 2006
Tunnels Live Buckyball Records 2004
Progressivity Buckyball Records 2002
Painted Rock Buckyball Records 1999
Tunnels with Percy Jones Ozone 1993 / Buckyball Records 1999
Tunnels Live Buckyball Records 2004
Progressivity Buckyball Records 2002
Painted Rock Buckyball Records 1999
Tunnels with Percy Jones Ozone 1993 / Buckyball Records 1999
With Brand X:
Manifest Destiny CD (Pony Canyon) 1997
With Mike Clark & Paul Jackson:
Clark-Jackson-Wagnon - Conjunction (Buckyball Rec.) 2001
with Sarah Pillow:
Galileo's Daughters: Sounds of Galileo's World 2022
Perpetual Motion: Revolution in 17th century Science and Music (DVD) 2022
Remixes (Buckyball Records) 2003
Nuove Musiche (Buckyball Rec.) 2000
Paper Cuts CD (Buckyball Rec.) 1997
Perpetual Motion: Revolution in 17th century Science and Music (DVD) 2022
Remixes (Buckyball Records) 2003
Nuove Musiche (Buckyball Rec.) 2000
Paper Cuts CD (Buckyball Rec.) 1997
With Doctor Nerve:
Out to Bomb Fresh Kings,LP (Cuneiform) 1984
Armed Observation LP (Cuneiform) 1987
Did Sprinting Die CD (Cuneiform) 1988
Beta 14 Ok CD (Cuneiform) 1990
Skin CD (Cuneiform) 1995
Armed Observation LP (Cuneiform) 1987
Did Sprinting Die CD (Cuneiform) 1988
Beta 14 Ok CD (Cuneiform) 1990
Skin CD (Cuneiform) 1995
With No No Diet Bang:
Profan CD (Bambrus Rec.) 1997
Recording credits as audio engineer:
Yo Kanno - Yo!
Mike Clark - Actual Proof
Los Ciego del Bario - ¿Por Que? ¡Porque…!
Sarah Pillow - Nuove Musiche
Tunnels - Painted Rock, Progressivity, Natural Selection
Marc Wagnon -Conjunction, Earth is a Cruel Master
Mike Clark - Actual Proof
Los Ciego del Bario - ¿Por Que? ¡Porque…!
Sarah Pillow - Nuove Musiche
Tunnels - Painted Rock, Progressivity, Natural Selection
Marc Wagnon -Conjunction, Earth is a Cruel Master