Band Members

  • Mark Simeon Ferguson

    Mark Simeon Ferguson completed a Master of Music in 1999 at the University of Adelaide and in the same year he was a semi-finalist in the 1999 National Jazz Awards at the Wangaratta Jazz Festival. He has lectured at the University since 1992 in subjects including Jazz History, Jazz Improvisation, Latin Ensemble and Jazz Piano.

    Ferguson the pianist has worked with a wide variety of artists including US Jazz vocal legend Mark Murphy, New York latin jazz guru Ray Vega, Tito Puente Jr., Texan blues veteran Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges, Australian singers Doug Parkinson, Paulini, Jessica Mauboy, Marina Prior, Peter Cupples, Julie Anthony and Carl Riseley and he has supported artists such as Nina Simone, Jose Feliciano and Angelique Kidjo. He joined the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to accompany leading bandoneon player Carel Krayenhof in 2008.

    Ferguson has worked regularly as pianist and musical director for shows such as The Fabulous Singlettes, Amity Dry’s Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life, Illure, Trace Canini’s Gospel Groove and Andy Seymour's The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley. He was pianist for Irish Cabaret star Camille O’Sullivan, performing at the Spiegeltent (Sydney 2008), the Perth Festival (2009), the Auckland Festival (2009), and he was musical director for her two-week season at the Sydney Opera House (2009).

    In 2007 Ferguson was commissioned to rewrite Handel’s Messiah in a Gospel style for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to feature James Morrison, Paulini and Doug Parkinson. In The Australian Graham Strahle wrote “It is a brilliantly swinging and uplifting take on Handel's score… Ferguson has come up with an absolute winner” while Rodney Smith in The Advertiser described the work as “a kaleidoscope of strikingly crafted Gospel arrangements from Ferguson’s fertile pen.”

    Ferguson has also received commissions to write a number of compositions and arrangements for the SA Primary Schools Music Festival and the JazzSA Youth Super bands. His works are also being performed by student jazz ensembles across SA.

    He has recorded and worked regularly with artists such as Cabaret diva Libby O'Donovan, rising jazz star Lee McAllistair, celtic rock band The Borderers and Catherine Lambert.

  • Jonathan Hunt

     Jonathan Hunt is one of the most versatile reed players in South Australia, graduating with Honours from the University of Adelaide in 2003 gaining an award for his achievement as the Best Post Graduate that year. He has performed in a Traditional Jazz context with Bob Barnard, The Phoenix Jazz Band, and his own Atlantic Street Band. Jon has toured Australia and New Zealand as a member of The Transatlantics and the Adelaide Sax Pack, and as part of the  Shaolin Afronauts he has performed at Womadelaide and been nominated for an ARIA award. He travelled to the US to study with Don Byron, Ken Peplowski and Martin Ehrlich in 2007. He joined Marmalade Circus in 2005 and is currently studying for his Masters degree.

  • Thomas Pulford

     Tom Pulford is a gifted multi-instrumentalist most notably known for his work with The Adelaide Sax Pack (recently accompanying Katie Noonan) and The Mike Stewart Big Band. Completing his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance at the Elder Conservatorium in 1998, Tom's achievements include winning the Barossa Valley Winemakers' Jazz Scholarship in 2003, enabling him to travel to New York in the following year and study with saxophonists Vincent Herring and Rich Perry. Tom has performed with jazz artists Vincent Herring (USA), Bob Mintzer (USA), Don Burrows, Jon Gordon (USA), Ray Vega (USA), Rhonda Burchmore, David Campbell, the Bob Johnson Big Band, the Boss Quartet, Bottleneck, the Adelaide Art Orchestra, the Martini Orchestra and his leads his own projects Van Gelder and Isotope. Since graduating Tom has also been involved in music education, teaching saxophone and clarinet and leading stage bands at several high schools and colleges throughout Adelaide. He joined Marmalade Circus in 2005 and is also known for his unique style of dancing.

  • Warren Heading

    Warren Heading is a powerful lead trumpet player with twelve years experience in Latin bands, and 30+ years of experience as a classical, music theatre and pop musician. He has performed with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Opera, played in countless shows such as Fame, The Boy From Oz and The Main Event, backed countless artists including Cleo Laine, Lou Rawles, Chuck Findley, Phil Wilson, Ben Folds, Tito Puente Jr. and Tom Burlinson and supported artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Courtney Pine and UB40. He joined Marmalade Circus in 2000.

  • Shireen Khemlani

    Shireen Khemlani is one of Adelaide’s most in-demand bass players, known particularly for her mastery of Latin styles. While completing her Honours degree from the University of Adelaide she toured with ‘LA Maid’, an award winning all-female hard rock band touring from 1991-1994, supporting artists such as Metallica, Dynissty and The Zep Boys. Since then she has worked with artists such as Todd McKenney, Doug Parkinson, Paulini, James Morrison, Tito Puente Jr, Don Burrows and Kevin Hunt and toured nationally with Eric Johnson, and Will Ray and Jerry Donahue from The Hellecasters. She joined Salcedo (formerly TNTLatinoz) in 2003 with whom she has performed across Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

    In 1998 she joined Marmalade Trio then became a member of Marmalade Circus in 2001and has been a key player in every major project Mark Simeon Ferguson has been involved in—see his bio above.

  • Jarrad Payne

    Drummer Jarrad Payne joined the Marmalade Circus in mid-2011. One of the most creative musicians on the Adelaide scene, drummer, producer, songwriter and all-round good human Jarrad has a wealth of experience in jazz, pop, and indie rock with artists such as Ronnie Taheny, The Raucoustra, Emily Smart, 1.1 Immermann, voiceROM and Läther (the Frank Zappa tribute band). Expect the Circus to get a tad quirkier with Jarrad around!