Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Canadian drummer, Mark Kelso has made Mississauga, Canada his home for quite some time. Not only is he a skilled musician who plays drums and percussion, but he is also a singer, producer, composer and martial artist as well. As a sideman Mark has earned 4 Juno awards and has been nominated four times as a leader with his own groups, the Jazz Exiles (2016 “Stealing From My Youth” & 2023 “The Dragon’s Tail”), the Chronicles of Fezziwig Project (2020) and once again in 2025 for “The Antrim Coast” which featured songs dedicated to his father and his homeland of Northern Ireland. Mark has been Artistic Director for the Jazz Room in Waterloo since 2016 and was formerly the head of percussion at Humber College from 2005-2021.

Mark’s ability to play a wide variety of musical styles has helped him become one of Canada’s most sought after drummers. An all around player, he has worked/recorded with a wide array of artists such as Pat Metheny, Donny McCaslin, Laila Biali, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Michael Bublé, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Changuito, David Clayton-Thomas, Holly Cole, Larry Coryell, Eliana Cuevas, Michel Cusson (UZEB), Paquito D’Riveria, Bob Dorough, Hilario Duran, Matt Dusk, Shirley Eikhard, David Foster, Dave Grusin, Herbie Hancock, Brian Hughes, Olivia Newton John, Molly Johnson, Marc Jordan, Sheila Jordan, Chaka Khan, Bill King, Pat LaBarbera, Donnell Leahy, Natalie MacMaster, John McDermott, Bob Mintzer, Monkey House, The Montuno Police, Peter Murphy (Bauhaus), Roberto Occhipinti, Michael Occhipinti, Donny Osmond, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter, Jovino Santos Neto, NOJO, Odessa/Havana, John Pelosi’s Love Garden, Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Bonnie Raitt, Maria Schneider, John Scofield, Joe Sealy, Ron Sexsmith, Mike Stern, Soul Stew, James Taylor, Susan Tedeschi, Ian Tyson, Gino Vannelli, Manuel Valera, Carol Welsman and his own bands, The Mystic Isle Project, and the Jazz Exiles. Mark runs “Groovy Drums Studio” where he records drum tracks for many artists around the world. To date he has played on over 500 recordings. Mark also released his very first instructional DVD “Musician First, Drummer
Second” in 2016 to great acclaim.

Aside from playing many sessions and movie soundtracks, Mark has also been featured in articles for “DRUMHEAD” Drums, ETC “, “Canadian Musician ” and “Modern Drummer” and has been a featured clinician/performer at DRUMEO, the Montreal Drumfest, IAJE, Musicfest, KOSA, Percussive Arts Society, Regina Drum Festival, Whack Bam Thudd festival, Yamaha Canada, The Stickman Drum Experience, Victoria Drum Festival, the Ralph Angelillo Drum Festival and the Cape Breton Drum Festival. Mark proudly endorses Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Evans Drum heads and Headhunters drumsticks.