Niko Marks

Niko recently fulfilled a request to play from Detroit's own Stevie Wonder at Meadowbrook Music Festival in Rochester, MI, September 3, 2007. Niko soulfully broke into the song Stevie wrote for Michael Jackson, entitled "Can't Help It". As Niko continued to play, Stevie graciously joined in to accompany him. Together, the two hyped the crowd. At one point, Stevie stopped playing and clapped along while Niko continued to play. When asked for a few words to describe his experience, Niko simply replied, "It was an experience of a lifetime".

**SEE PHOTO UNDER THE PHOTOS SECTION** - U2XProductions

After his killer EP for Planet E, Niko Marks cuts the incredible "Carnal", totally infectious rough-at-the-edges filtered disco-tech with fat beats, fatter stabs, lush strings and a bit of a French feel. Flip for two alternative Detroit moods - "Zombia" which matches a juttering groove with techno stabs and a piano solo, plus the Urban Tribe-esque breakbeat roll of "Moon Cycles". - SubstrataRecords.com

There are some records that provide much more pleasure to listen to than a few others. Why? Maybe because the musician behind the music tried to put a bit more soul, a bit more funk, a bit more of this something that makes you feel the music being a part of you.

If you don't know Niko Marks, shame on you! The man offered us one of the best tracks of 2005 with “House People Know” presently on the “Subject Detroit CD Vol. 03” but he's also known for his performances at DEMF/Fuse-In - always plenty of groove and deepness.

“House Music Celebration” is the last step in time from Niko Marks and this CD is a success from track 1 to 11...The production is good, the general ambience is funky without being at anytime boring or using easy house music dancefloor tricks. The composition is imaginative and fresh.

Here we talk about pure House Music. Don't search for silly click house or overhyped progressive...we're talking about black music coming from the roots... From da' Motorcity.

If you're looking to put a bit of good sound in your ears...Niko Marks lastest CD must be on your list.

Now, you know! - DJ Dimitri Pike, 313tm.blogspot.com

June 2003 - There just seems to be no end to the stream of incredibly talented musicians coming from Detroit. One of the biggest revelations of our last trip to Detroit and the Movemebt festival was without a doubt - Niko Marks. He already has a firm musical history behind him, working with the likes of Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, DJ Bone, Carl Craig, Mike Grant, Mike Banks plus many more greats in the music industry.

Niko Marks’ live performance at Movement ‘03 left a big impression on us...
Keep an eye open for this musical maestro from da D! - www.technotourist.org

Where house, techno, soul and electro collide, Niko Marks has a rare ability to create music you can’t help but surrender to. His secret? Is well, just that.

Niko’s accomplishments have gone on to include the captivating album ‘Until The Day’ and most recently, the stunning ‘Cosmology’. An album that displays Niko’s fervent passion for both the traditional use of piano and vocals as well as modern day electronica.

Appreciation for Niko’s talents are not fully realised until you have experienced a live set. Complete with talented vocalists, piano, sequencers and percussive instruments, Niko has been wooing fans wherever he goes. - www.tranzfusion.net

This f****r came from out of nowhere, and gave me such a 'clup in cop' that I think I lost a few million brain cells in an extremely pleasurable way. I'm still not sure if City Boy Players are 1) a full funk band, 2) a partial funk band, 3) techno smart arses pretending they're a funk band or 4) all of the above. I mean there's a picture of some black dudes on the back that look like a band, there's a photo of a band playing live, but none of the songs are credited to a band on the liner notes. Maybe they're a studio production job, that play live? F**k, who cares!!! How do I describe this CD...Very housey? Nah, its busier and looser than house. P-Funk? Not that either because its sparser and more electronic. I can't really describe this album. Maybe it's like a more digital version of Jestofunk? I don't care either way - this album is f******g great. It's got funk, and house, and soul, and lots of jazz, and electronics and f******g great sounds that are modern and most of all 'fresh.' The track "Freeman=Free Man," named after their bass player Freeman Spells, has a bassline that is so fluid and funky, that I guarantee you, it will have you in f******g traction! "Get Up Ma People" is pure P-Funk with f******g Stevie Wonder and techno mixed into the same pot. This album is full of feel-good funky delights, the kind of stuff you really have to look for, or have a good friend with taste, point out for you. - Aaron Goldberg

"Invariably a result of a serious cocaine problem, a creative dearth or a combination of both, the dreaded 'concept album' is God's way of telling you your DJ fee is too high. However, when Eddie Fowlkes, one of Detroit's true mavericks, takes a break from crafting his trademark technosoul and works with Niko Mark's City Boy Players - a group of live musicians, poets and vocalists - we needn't worry.
This eponymous album contains deep, spiritual house - 'I Surrender' and 'The Love Song' - sensuous soul music on 'A Day In The Shade', filtered breakbeats on 'What's Yo Daddy's Name ?' and weird beard jazz via 70s funk on 'Get Up Ma People'. Closing with 'Love, Love, Love', an anthem of Van Helde/Stardust proportions, City Boy Players is a welcome exception to a format usually the preserve of equally bloated egos and bank accounts - Richard Brophy, Jockey Slut (UK), April '99