Biography of Mak Dervo

Eastern Iowa’s Mak Dervo has played music all his life.   Born in 1960, he listened to Dixie-land jazz and played percussion at an early age.   In the mid '70s he began listing to folk music on public radio and in 1979 purchased his first guitar. 

Since 1982 he has been a member of the Andean folk music group Alma Iowana.
It was with Alma Iowana that he first learned to play Andean flutes and charango.

He began his solo career as Mak Dervo One-Man Band in 1984 and developed his strolling minstrel act while busking in cities such as Iowa City, Madison, Boulder,  San Francisco and New Orleans.

Dervo's love for Andean and other ethnic music led his travels to Bolivia, Mexico and Jamaica where he lived, studied music and collected instruments.

The natural educational value of Andean Music led him to developed his assembly "Musical Tour of the Andes Mountains" which he performed on a 300 school tour during the '94-'95 school year.

Recording efforts include two albums of original compositions, the recordings of Alma Iowana and a guest appearance on A. Scotty Hayward's "Kalimba Dreams".

Mak Dervo has performed in many venues including: museums, libraries, schools, art and music festivals, radio, television, conferences, universities, colleges, hospitals,  Senior homes,  public places and for celebrations.

Mak Dervo is included in the Iowa Arts Council's Arts to Go roster
and as David Makinster in the Artists in Schools/Communities roster.