For many years Marcus Cliffe has been a side man and session musician with some of the biggest  names in rock and pop, writes Chetna Kapacee.

Now Marcus who has worked with Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, as well as playing on mixes for Tina Turner, Sting and Mariah Carey is about to embark on his first solo project.

Marcus  has been a member of The Manfreds, the reformed legendary 60’s group Manfred Mann since the late 90s and will be going on a major national tour with them later this year.

Before hitting the road he is going into the studio to record his debut album.

A long time resident and ardent supporter of Thornton Heath Marcus named his studio Norbury Brook Studios, after the brook that flowed near his former house on Strathyre Avenue.

A producer, writer and multi instrumentalist his amazing music includes two top ten hits; one with former Spice Girl Emma Bunton and being long listed for the Mercury music prize with his band Miracle Mile. Trained at Leeds College of Music, Marcus’ first instrument was originally the piano, with bass his second. However due to a lack of other bass players in the college, Marcus found himself in demand. In his professional career Marcus has easily slipped into different generes and styles, making him an in-demand session musician. This even led to playing with Japan’s biggest rock star Yazawa – to audiences of 100,000 a night.