Snowboy
English percussionist, bandleader, DJ, and journalist.
Snowboy (real name Mark Cotgrove) is an English musician who works as a percussionist, bandleader, DJ, and journalist. His recorded output, which includes albums and singles, covers Latin jazz and acid jazz styles. He released albums such as *Ritmo Snowboy* (1989), *Descarga Mambito* (1991), *Something's Coming* (1993), *Pit Bull Latin Jazz* (1995), *The Soul of Snowboy* (1995), *Mambo Rage* (1998), *Afro Cuban Jazz* (2000), *The Hi-Hat: The True Jazz Dance Sessions* (2000), *Para Puente* (2002), *New Beginnings* (2004), *Communications* (2009), and *New York Afternoon* (2016). His singles include "Bring on the Beat / When Snowboys Rocking the Mike / Guaguanco R.J.," "Mambo Teresa / Wild Spirit," "A Night in Tunisia / Ritmo Snowboy," "Ritmo Snowboy / A Night in Tunisia," "Snowboy's House of Latin," "Give Me the Sunshine / El Nuevo Latino," "Lucky Fellow / Astralisation," "Delirium / NyQuist Theorem," "Three Faces of Snowboy – Girl Overboard / Funky Djembe / 24 for Betty Page," "Where Is the Love?," "The New Avengers," "Jazzakuti," "Casa Forte," "Oya Ye Ye," "Los Rumberos De La Habana Y Matanzas/Baraggo," "It's About Time – DR Bob Jones and The Interns (featuring Snowboy)," "El Padrino," "I've Got to Learn to Mambo feat. James Hunter," and "New York Afternoon feat. Marc Evans." He also wrote a book titled *From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene* (2009).
- field
- Percussionist, bandleader, DJ, journalist
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Latin jazz and acid jazz recordings
Lore & Background
Snowboy (Mark Cotgrove) released his debut album 'Ritmo Snowboy' in 1989 on Acid Jazz, followed by several albums on the same label including 'Descarga Mambito' (1991), 'Something's Coming' (1993), 'Pit Bull Latin Jazz' (1995), and 'The Soul of Snowboy' (1995). He later recorded for Ubiquity, Ocho, Chillifunk, Freestyle, and his own Snowboy Records, with albums such as 'Mambo Rage' (1998), 'Afro Cuban Jazz' (2000), 'The Hi-Hat: The True Jazz Dance Sessions' (2000), 'Para Puente' (2002), 'New Beginnings' (2004), 'Communications' (2009), and 'New York Afternoon' (2016).
In addition to his albums, Snowboy released numerous singles, including 'Bring on the Beat / When Snowboys Rocking the Mike / Guaguanco R.J.', 'Mambo Teresa / Wild Spirit', 'A Night in Tunisia / Ritmo Snowboy', and 'I've Got to Learn to Mambo feat. James Hunter'. He also authored a book, 'From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene' (2009), published by Chaser Publications.
Reader's Guide
Snowboy's significance lies in his dual role as a musician and historian of the UK jazz dance scene. His discography, primarily on Acid Jazz and Ubiquity, documents the evolution of Latin jazz and acid jazz from the late 1980s onward. His book, 'From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene', provides a written record of the genre's development in the United Kingdom. As a bandleader and percussionist, he contributed to the popularization of Latin rhythms within the jazz dance community. His work as a journalist further underscores his role as a chronicler of the scene. The breadth of his releases—from early Acid Jazz albums to later independent efforts—shows a sustained engagement with Latin jazz and dance music over three decades.
Did You Know?
- Snowboy's real name is Mark Cotgrove.
- He released his first album 'Ritmo Snowboy' in 1989 on Acid Jazz.
- He authored a book titled 'From Jazz Funk & Fusion to Acid Jazz: The History of the UK Jazz Dance Scene' in 2009.
- His album 'New York Afternoon' was released on his own label, Snowboy Records, in 2016.
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