MARK CAIN: MUSICIAN- PERFORMER - EDUCATOR
West Australian saxophonist, instrument maker and composer, Mark Cain’s career spans world music, jazz, experimental and free improvised genres, including music he has written for dance, theatre, short film and his numerous bands. As a multi-instrumentalist and instrument maker he co-founded in 1987 the ground-breaking concept group, AC/PVC, who designed and built (from plumbing pipe) all their on-stage instruments. He toured nationally and internationally (Indonesia, Taiwan, Brunei) with Nova Ensemble (1991 - 2006); performed across Australia with Musica Viva in Schools (Nova Ensemble, Ozmosis and most recently, Eastwinds) and has worked throughout Australia as a solo performer in schools with Nexus Arts (Victoria) playing instruments of his own invention from simple, recyclable materials. Over his career he has worked and performed in countless schools and communities in both city and regional Australia. An English/Arts graduate, Cain's career began as a public radio journalist training Western Australia’s first indigenous broadcasters as part of Noongar Radio (Ab Radio) at Radio 6NR (Curtin University 1979–85)
Instrument Maker: Cain's signature is the instruments he makes from plumbing accessories and other recyclable industrial materials, dating back to his work in Tall Stories (under mentor, Linsey Pollak in 1985) and AC/PVC (1987 - 91). His trademark is his use of simple, commonly available materials resulting in imaginative and often whimsical instruments with sounds confounding their origins.
He has worked in many indigenous and regional communities among musicians and non-musicians building instruments from ‘found’ or recycled materials and collaboratively devising performances exploring local themes. His 2012 Musica Viva/AIR Grant was a collaboration (with a visual artist) constructing an interactive sound playground at Belmay Primary School in Western Australia. In 2014 and 2015 Cain was an Artist in Residence for Tura New Music based in indigenous communities on the Dampier Peninsula, Kimberley WA working alongside community members constructing musical sculptures for a playground sited at Lombadina School (Djarindjin). In 2017-18 he was Musician in Residence at Safety Bay Primary, again collaborating with the school community to construct a large-scale sound playground based on a nautical theme inspired by student ideas and sketches. Working in both solo and groups settings, Cain has held many other artist residencies in communities around Australia.
Performer and Educator: Mark Cain is WA's longest serving musician in the national Musica Viva in Schools program as a member of Nova Ensemble (1991 - 2005), Ozmosis (2009 - 2014) and Eastwinds (2019 - 2024). He has also toured extensively as a solo artist with Nexus Arts (Victoria 1992 - 2021). From 2014 to 2018 he was a WASO Teaching Artist (OKME) based at Onslow Primary, whilst also working with The Song Room (Dryandra Primary). He is a former World Music Cultures lecturer at the School of Music, University of Western Australia (2006 - 2008), whilst working intermittently as a music producer with ABC Radio National (The Planet).
His long-time interest in Balkan, Jewish klezmer and jazz-inflected world music led to groups such as: Bulgarity, Rita Menendez Trio, Crab Tango, Language, The Elastic Band and Caravan. In 2008 he shared the WAM World Music Award with his group, The Flying Carpathians. In 2009, Cain founded the quintet, Daramad, who won an international Songlines/World Music (Network Medien) competition, World Battle of the Bands (2013). Two of his compositions (and three Daramad pieces) are released on the international Rough Guide music series - Rough Guide to Arabic Jazz, Rough Guide to the Best Arabic Music You've Never Heard and Rough Guide to Arabic Cafe
Catalyst: For decades Cain has worked as a catalyst bringing together musicians from different parts of the world, including his 30-year involvement with Kulcha in Fremantle (1996 - 2014), formerly the North Perth Ethnic Music Centre (1983 - 1995). He currently performs with the group he co-founded in 2014, Eastwinds, with musicians from Iran, Estonia, Japan, UK and Australia. In 2016 Eastwinds won the WAM Song of the Year competition (World Music) and performed at the National Folk Festival (Canberra), Fairbridge Festival (WA) in consecutive years and the Nanga Music Festival (WA). From 2018 - 2024 Eastwinds (originally as a quartet, then a trio) toured nationally with Musica Viva in Schools. In recent years Cain has also toured playing at festivals, including the National Folk Festival (Canberra) with Indian-born sarod player, Praashekh Borkar (Praashekh Quartet) and currently plays with southern African guitarist, Ilan Zagoria (Dialogic). In numerous musical settings he has been a mainstay performer at the Fairbridge Music Festival (WA) for over 16 years. In 2025 Cain was invited by the WA Symphony Orchestra to play the Armenian duduk over two nights for Gladiator in Concert with the orchestra accompanying the film (music by Hans Zimmer).
Based in Fremantle WA, Cain plays an array of wind instruments, including saxophones, clarinets, flutes and ethnic woodwinds, as well as wind and percussion instruments of his own invention - many of which are featured on his largely solo multi-woodwind recordings, Reeds (2004) and his more recent, Cameos (2021). In 2026 he released a CD of freely improvised soprano saxophone solos, Threads and a duo CD with guitarist, Ilan Zagoria, Dialogic.
Bands (1985 - 2026)
Dialogic (duo with Ilan Zagoria)
Eastwinds
Zagoria Quartet / B
Praashekh Quartet / Collective
Awakenings Ensemble (directed by Michael Pignéguy)
Daramad
The Flying Carpathians (with Andy Copeman)
Club Qahira (with Mike Zolker, Ross Ottaviano)
Nova Ensemble (directed by David Pye)
Ozmosis & Ozmosis Street Band
Miracle Band X (led byJamie David)
AC/PVC (with Peter Keelan)
Windcheaters (with Lee Buddle)
Orchestra of the Global Nomads (directed by David Pye)
Bulgarity (with Ross Bolleter)
The Elastic Band (with Paul Tanner, Leanne Glover, Rex Horan, Glenn Rogers)
Wanderlust Trio (with Phil Kakulas & Sally Trewin)
Caravan (with Andy Copeman)
Language (with Diocleziano Bosco)
Slices of Albert (with Tos Mahoney & Ross Bolleter)
Rita Menendez Group (with Rita Menendez, Tim Chambers, Phil Kakulas)
Tall Stories (with Linsey Pollak, Kerry Fletcher, Susie Sickert, Jane Mullet) - Kimberley/Pilbara Tour 1985)
The Ran Dan Club (Derby circus/music residency, 1991)
Toucan Tango (with Steve and Ros Barnes)
Eduardo Cossio trio/quartet
Playback Theatre (with Deborah Pearson)
*My very first recording was with WA Indigenous singer/songwriters, Vi Chitty & Merv Graham in 1979 (Homegrown)\
Copyright: Mark Cain