About us
The band name stems from the nickname of musical director/songwriter, Marcelino "Mars" Quiroz and singer/songwriter, Sara “Smile” Remington’s cosmic influence. Mars, a second generation Chicano and first generation college graduate (Berklee '04) grew up in the East Bay Area of Northern California and has been playing all things keys since childhood. One of his fondest memories is playing along with his brother’s video game music as kids. After the conjunction of musical soulmate, Sara, the stars aligned and they became dreamers of playing only the music they love. While working on the scene together in a funk band, hosting Jam nights, and orbiting around as musicians for hire, the two started their project. The goal was to uplift listeners with inspirational lyrics that inspire critical thinking around social norms, while paying tribute to their favorite musicians. With personal experience of the healing and powerful abilities music can bring to life, it became the underlying musical narrative of The Mars Express. Sara's blossoming out of her music therapy, sound healing era and into her poetry era, became the right time for a curated live musical experience played in 432 hz co-written by Mars!
Mars Q
B.M. Film Scoring (’04), Berklee College of Music (piano principal), studied jazz piano performance with Joanne Brackeen; MRQ Productions, principal film composer/audio editor; Professional Musician, performing on piano, synth and Hammond B-3 regularly in the SF Bay Area 10+ years in a variety of genres, including: jazz, funk, neo-soul, R&B, reggae and more; Piano Instructor at the California Jazz School, 20+ years experience teaching music theory to groups and individuals; Musical Director/Founder/Songwriter The Mars Express; special projects at Suma recording studio, Berklee College of Music Alumni networking, Revival ABB, The Bluewater Kings, and American Roots of Music.
Sara Smile
After 10+ years of serving fresh, live vocals across the San Francisco Bay Area, Sara Smile has returned to her hometown in NE Ohio. Since landing back in the area, she’s been involved in various projects with the Bluewater Kings band, Apostle Jones Presents, The Mars Express, Revival ABB, The Shizz, Thomas W. Harvey High School, Lake Erie College, Suma Recording Studio, Berklee College of Music, and Roots of American Music. Sara has often been referred to as the “Jamstress” cohosting a long running jam night in Albany, CA, where up and coming, green and working musicians created a special community through live music. Sara incorporates jazz and neo-soul elements into her multi-genre skill set. She loves to feature band members and provides ample opportunities for solos and expression through improvisation in live sets. You’ll hear the Janis, Aretha, Tina and 90’s R&B that she was raised on in her soulful and dynamic sound.