Toronto troubadour Chris A. Cummings (Marker Starling, formerly Mantler) has been playing Melancholy Party Jams since 1999. A solo performer for many years, his preferred weapons were a Wurltizer electric piano and an early pre-programmed drum machine. More recently he has been supported by a Toronto-based band consisting of Jay Anderson (drums), Matt McLaren (bass) and Andy Scott (guitar and keyboards). In the UK and Europe he has played extensively with Euan Rodger (drums), Joe Carvell (bass) and Andy Whitehead (guitar).

After a long association with Germany’s Tomlab label, who released the second, third and fourth Mantler records (SADISFACTION, LANDAU and MONODY), Cummings began working with UK-based Tin Angel Records in 2010. With Tin Angel, Marker Starling has released 4 albums since 2015 - the acclaimed ROSY MAZE (praised by Matthew Horton in the NME for its “timeless quality”), solo all-covers record I’M WILLING (2016), the self-retrospective ANCHORS AND AMPERSANDS (2017), and an all-originals solo record TRUST AN AMATEUR (2018). Cummings’ ninth record HIGH JANUARY, recorded in the UK and produced by Sean O’Hagan (The High Llamas, Stereolab) was  released in April 2020. 

Cummings has collaborated with the German band Von Spar, contributing vocals and lyrics to their albums STREETLIFE (Italic, 2014) and UNDER PRESSURE (Bureau B, 2019). His song “Deep Background” was recorded by Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier for her Source Ensemble record FIND ME FINDING YOU (Drag City, 2017). His 2010 song "In Stride" was included in DJ Koze's DJ-Kicks compilation on !K7 Records in 2015. He has opened for Stereolab, The Books, Destroyer, Yo La Tengo, Gary Wilson and Sandro Perri, and also plays in the bands Matias, Hank and The Canadian Romantic. His music is also released on 7e.p. Records in Japan, where he has toured twice, and where he embodied the singing voice of the character Desmond in the popular anime CAROLE AND TUESDAY (2019).