Mark Horwood – 1972-2009
You may remember some while back that I raved about a new band called The Mummers. I had seen them live on Jools Holland and found them both mesmerising and gifted. I sought out their album, Tale To Tell, and was taken aback by the fascinating mix of synths, brass, violins, guitars and a magical vocal by Raissa Khan-Panni.
They then embarked on the usual tour, going down incredibly well wherever they went until September 7th, when a message appeared on their website stating that their upcoming shows were cancelled due to tragic and unforseen circumstances.
It turns out that those circumstances were the untimely passing of keyboard player and main orchestrator of the band, Mark Horwood, who sadly took his own life in the legendary treehouse studio he had built in Chichester.
I won’t profess to know much more about Mark or the Mummers as a whole, but their incredible music and style were magical and such a breath of fresh air. It is so sad that Mark will no longer be a part of all that.
Here is a video tribute posted on YouTube by the band, and a couple of other video treats that sum up this incredible band. Our thoughts are with them and Mark’s family at this time.
Thank you so much for posting this marvellous tribute to my young brother Mark, it’s been an awful time for all his family and your words mean so much
My thoughts are with you and your family. Mark’s work with the Mummers is still inspiring me today. It’s an oft played album here and it serves as a fitting tribute and memorial of his exceptional talent.
Only just come across The Mummers (can’t remember seeing them on Jules Holland) and love their music ,so it was a shock to read this news. Great shame and it often happens to very creative people.
I’m shocked at this news – only just discovered it. The Mummers cd was my absolute fave of 2009 and possibly the whole decade – Mark’s orchestrations were an essential ingredient to the Mummers sound. This is a tragic loss for the world of good music. R.I.P Mark