WATCHING THE PARADE contains 14 original songs. The material springs from blues and there are elements of folk and other roots music in it. It’s got a foot in the past, but it’s all brand new. The tracks cover a variety of styles and sounds. The centrepiece is Mark’s 1934 National Trojan resonator guitar, and he also plays acoustic 12-string and 6-string and electric guitars. The tracks feature a wide variety of instrumental combinations, including double bass, mandolin, harmonica, organ, piano, drums and percussion - which are played by some of London’s top roots musicians. The songs cover a variety of themes. Some are rooted firmly in the present day, some imagine the past world of the early blues greats, some use imagery of the past to talk about the present. They all have something to say. The aim is to tap into the timeless quality of the early blues to produce music totally relevant to the present day.