Tommy Mars (born Thomas Mariano on October 26, 1951) is an American keyboard player known for his work with

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed Rock music, rock, Pop music, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestra ...

. Mars began piano lessons at age eight, and later his instrument range expanded to various keyboards and synthesizers. Mars graduated in 1972 from the Hartt College of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut. From there he struggled to hold a variety of musical jobs including choirmaster, church organist, movie accompanist and more. In a 1980 interview in '' Keyboard'' magazine, Mars described one of the more unusual jobs he had as follows - "I was working in this revolving organ bar in Kodiak, Alaska, with Japanese and Russian fishermen kicking me in the back if I couldn't play an ethnic folk song to their drunken satisfaction". Knowing nothing about Zappa except for the songs "King Kong" and "Peaches en Regalia", Mars was asked to audition for Zappa's band with the help of percussionist Ed Mann, also a member of Zappa's group. Zappa hired Mars based on Mars' synthesizer expertise. From 1977 to 1982 he was part of Zappa's touring band, appeared in the movie Baby Snakes, and recorded a number of Zappa albums. After his work with Zappa, Mars alternated between teaching and touring with

Steve Vai Steven Siro Vai ( ; born June 6, 1960) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. A three-time Grammy Award winner and fifteen-time nominee, Vai started his music career in 1978 at the age of eighteen as a Transcription (music), transc ...

Stuart Hamm Stuart Hamm (born February 8, 1960) is an American bass guitar player, known for his session and live work with numerous artists as well as for his unconventional playing style and solo recordings. Career Born in New Orleans, Hamm spent his chil ...

. In mid-1990s, Mars formed (The) Banned From Utopia, a group consisting of 10 Zappa band alumni, performing Zappa's music as a

tribute band A tribute act, tribute band, tribute group or tribute artist is a Musical ensemble, music group, Singing, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act. Tribute acts include individual performers who mimic the so ...

. In 2007 '' Strange News From Mars'' was presented, a jazz hybrid with Jon Larsen, on Zonic Entertainment, featuring Bruce Fowler,

Jimmy Carl Black James Inkanish, Jr. (February 1, 1938 – November 1, 2008), known professionally as Jimmy Carl Black, was an original member of the Mothers of Invention, providing drums and vocals. He is known for introducing the songs “ Are you Hung Up?” a ...

, Arthur Barrow, and other Zappa alumni. 2008 Tommy Mars has a brief (three tracks) appearance on The Jimmy Carl Black Story, together with the original Mothers of Invention drummer

. Spring 2009 saw the release of the 2005 recorded ''No Forest Fire'': Tommy Mars together with The Band From Utopia members Bruce Fowler, Walt Fowler, Kurt McGettrick, Larry Klimas, Arthur Barrow, and

Vinnie Colaiuta Vincent Peter Colaiuta (born February 5, 1956) is an American drummer known for his technical mastery who has worked as a session musician in many genres. He was inducted into the ''Modern Drummer'' Hall of Fame in 1996 and the ''Classic Drumme ...

. In 2010 Tommy Mars recorded the surrealistic audio book ''Willie Nickerson's Egg'', written by Jon Larsen, released in 2011. At the Molde Jazz Festival 2014 Tommy Mars performed Willie Nickerson's Egg live (three sold-out concerts), together with Arthur Barrow, Arild Andersen, Jon Larsen, etc.

References

External links

The Hartt School - Alumni: Tommy Mars

Keyboard Magazine
Tommy Mars
on MySpace American rock keyboardists Living people University of Hartford Hartt School alumni 1951 births 21st-century American keyboardists 20th-century American keyboardists {{US-keyboardist-stub