User:Salgaga175/Marker Starling

Chris A. Cummings (Marker Starling) formerly Mantler (born May 29, 1969) is a Canadian songwriter and musician.

Early career
Born in Toronto, Ontario Cummings studied classical piano from age 7 to age 20. At the same time he retained a strong interest in pop, and later R&B music. Able from an early age to pick up songs by ear, he wrote songs of his own as a 7-year-old which were preserved by his parents on cassette tape. After studying Film Production at Toronto’s York University, Cummings turned his attention to music, releasing his first recordings on a compilation by Play Records in 1997. His debut album, Doin’ It All (Le Systeme Records) followed in 2000.

The Tomlab Years (2002-2010)
Mantler’s second album Sadisfaction was released on Germany’s Tomlab label in October 2002. Although receiving little attention at the time, it did garner a Pitchfork review. This was followed by his third album Landau (2004), which fared slightly better. Landau marked a departure from the lo-fi sound of the previous two records, and was also the first Mantler album to use electronic programming. It was also the first Mantler record to be recorded by longtime associate Zack Gilbert (Zack G).

Monody and Tin Angel (2010)
After a lengthy gestation period, Mantler’s fourth record Monody was released by Tomlab and UK-based Tin Angel Records in May 2010. The record featured Zack G’s production, but also featured production contributions from Leon Taheny (Final Fantasy, Bruce Peninsula) and Jeremy Greenspan (Junior Boys), as well as brass arrangements by Owen Pallett. A mixture of solo, electronic-based and acoustic band recordings. the album received more attention than any previous Mantler release, ,.

Recent years (2011-present)
In 2011, Cummings was approached by Japanese label Windbell about compiling a career-spanning collection for release in Japan only. The resulting 17-track cd Fortune Smiled Again was released in July 2011, and featured tracks from as early as 2000.

Cummings also performed at the Canadian Blast at London’s Barbican Centre and Sappyfest in Sackville, New Brunswick, in 2011. In 2012 he performed at Moscow’s Strelka Institute, and also opened for Yo La Tengo’s The Sounds of Science film presentation at the Images Festival in Toronto.

Collaborations
Cummings has performed with Devon Sproule, Sandro Perri, Jeremy Greenspan, Owen Pallett, Ryan Driver, and many other Toronto bands. In the UK he has performed with members of Tin Angel Records bands Batsch and Black Carrot, as well as Baby Dee and Little Annie. He has been a member of Toronto bands Matias and Hank. In 2012 Cummings contributed arrangements and wurlitzer to the song “First and Last” on Maylee Todd’s 2013 album Escapology. His wurlitzer also appears on Junior Boys’ 2009 song “Hazel” from the album Begone Dull Care, and Devon Sproule’s 2011 song “The Warning Bell” from the album I Love You, Go Easy. He also served as a musical director for the Canadia dell’Arte Theatre Troupe between 1998 and 2002, and was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award twice, for Spirits in 1999 and A Sun Without Heat in 2000.

Albums
 Doin' It All (Le Systeme, 2000) Sadisfaction (Tomlab, 2002) Landau (Tomlab, 2004) Monody (Tomlab/Tin Angel/Blocks Recording Club, 2010)

EPs
 Childman (Tin Angel, 2009) I Guarantee You A Good Time (Tin Angel, 2011)

Compilations
<ul> <li>Fortune Smiled Again (Windbell, 2011)</li></ul>

Categories
Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian composers Category:Canadian male singers Category:Canadian singer-songwriters Category:People from Toronto Category:Musicians from Ontario