Curriculum vitae

Capsule biography

Mark Alban Lotz

Instruments:

Piccolo, C Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, PVC Contra Bass Flute, Indian Bamboo Flutes, Flötophon, Prepared Flute

Biography/Education:

Born June 12 1963; Mark grew up in Thailand, Uganda and Germany. He started playing the flute at seventeen and ended up studying both jazz as well as classical/ contemporary music at the Amsterdam 'School of Arts' and received private tuition in the US.

Profesional activities:

Mark's professional activities include producing, composing, teaching and performing in musical settings ranging from solo concerts to big ensembles in jazz and world music settings. He worked as actor and composer for Theater play. Mark is part of the "Music: World Series" concert/festival organisation and initiator of the weekly concert series "u-ex(perimental)" with free improvised music. Toured with various ensembles in the USA, Canada, Suriname, Europe, Turkey, Russia, Moldavia, Ukraine.

Worked with:

Through the years Mark has worked with musicians from all over the globe. Literally from A(rmenia) to Z(ambia). A.o. Najma Akthar, Petar Ralchev, Namgyal Llhamo, Eddy Martinez, Molla Sylla, Wolter Wierbos, Jason Robarts, Michael Vatcher, Martha Gallarraga, Denise Jannah, Ernst Reijseger, Luc Houtkamp, Ramon Valle, Alexei Levin, Lucumi, Joe Santiago, Droeh Nankoe, Michiel Borstlap, Harry Sparnay, Theo Lovendie, Nicky Marrero, The Artdirectors, soloists and members of the Conjunto Folklorico National De Cuba, Yoruba Anabo, Raices and Clavé y Guaguanco.

Recorded CDs with:

Amelia Pedroso, Miguel 'Anga' Diaz , David Tronzo, Zuco 103, Michael Moore, Tjitze Vogel, Michael Baird, Vitold Rek, Carlos Irarragorri, Estrella Acosta, Alan Laurillard, Sandip Battacharya, José Pilar Suarez, soloists of the Conjunto Folklorico De Oriente, Yoruba Anabo, Raices and many others. As a leader/co-leader he is featured on CDs with the ensembles "Lotz Of Music", the duo "T(w)o-do", "Shango's Dance", "Global Village Orchestra", "A Fula's Call" and the "Mark Lotz Quartet"

Style:

In Mark's music he tries to build a bridge between bebop jazz and classical contemporary music - often crossing boundaries with other musics of the world.

The long version

Personal record:

• Date of Birth: 12. June 1963
• Native place: Tübingen
• Nationality: German

Biography:

• 1963 - '66; Berlin, Germany
• 1966 - '69; Bangkok, Thailand
• 1969 - '72; Primary school Kampala, Uganda
• 1972 - '83; High School 'Konrad Adenauer Gymnasium' Bonn, Germany
• 1983 - '84; Social service at the "Godeshöhe rehabilitation center for the disabled", Bonn

Education:

• 1980 - '84; Private studies (flute) under Michael Heupel, Bonn
• 1984 - '86; Studied Ethnology and Musicology at Berlin University
• 1986 - '91; Studied flute and jazz at the Hilversum Conservatory under Ferdinand Povel
• 1989 - '93; Second study of classical music at the "Amsterdam School Of Arts" under Jos Zwaanenburg
• 1986 - now; Prospective private tuition and workshops with James Newton, Dave Liebman, Hubert Laws, Jerry Gonzales, Miroslav Vitous, Daan Admiraal, Dolf Grunwald
• 1997-'98; Private tuition with James Newton, Lew Tabakin, Ken McIntyre, Hubert Laws, Buddy Colette, Steve Kujala, Dave Valentin, Ellery Eskelin and Bobby Watson, in New York and California, sponsored by "Prins Bernhard Fonds" and "Fonds voor de Podiumkunsten"

Artistic and other professional activities:

• 1988 - 1991; Leader of the 'Albanism Quartet'
• 1989; Finalist with the 'Albanism Quartet' at the Jazz Contest in Karlovy Vary, Slovakia
• 1990; Encouragement price of the Middelsee Jazzfestival Competition
• 1990; Gijs Hendriks' 'Construction Company'
• 1991 - 2000; 'T(w)o-Do', with bassist Tjitze Vogel
• 1991 - now; Leader of 'Lotz Of Music'
• 1992; 'Lotz Of Music' wins the second price at the Middelsee Jazzfestival Contest with special credits
• 1992; Featured solist with 'Bons'. A composition by Theo Loevendie for a classical chamber ensemble of 11 instrumentalist and one jazz soloist
• 1993 - now; Leader of the 'The New Mark Lotz Standard Quartet'
• 1993; Organisor and co-founder of the first 'Utrechts Jazz Treffen' Festival
• 1994; Critic for the magazin 'Muziek en Onderwijs'
• 1994; Duo with drummer and percussionist Michael Baird
• 1995; Realisation of the project 'noisiVision'. A multimedia performance in cooperation with the duo 'T(w)o-Do' and artist Elseline van der Graaf and her sculptures.
• 1995; With drummer Michael Baird recordings for the 'Pavilloen - project - De wereld barst van de idealen' by artist Marijke Nielen from Utrecht.
• 1995; 'Lotz Of Music' recorded the soundtrack for the Rolf Orthel documentary 'Antartica - A Ticket To Eternity'
• 1996; Bass flutist in the Bass Quartet of bassist/composer Tony Overwater
• 1996 - 1997; 'Utrecht Deep artment' - an octet playing contemporary music
• 1996 - now; 'Shangos Dance' a tentet performing a fusion of Afro Cuban religious folklore with Lotz Of Music. During the years recorded and performed with soloists of Conjunto folklorico Nacional de Cuba, Conjunto Folklorico de Oriente, Clavé y Guaguanco, Miguel Anga Diaz, Amelia Pedroso, Lucumi and Raices Profundas.
• 1997; with bassist Tijtze Vogel recordings for the TV animation picture 'Klinkende Verhaalen' by Metropolis Films
• 1997; Solo concerts within exhibitions of artist Marijke Nielen
• 1998 - 2001; performing as sideman in Jorge Martinez Galan 'La Sonora de Galan', Estrella Acosta Band, Rumbanana, Lis Harting Sextet
• 2000; 'TiffnoiZe' - 'Silent Moves & Violent Grooves' a project with video and improvised music by VJ Gido, soundfreak Allan Laurillard and percussionist Michael Baird
• 2000; World music concerts with a.o. danser John Kayongo (Kenia) and Tabla virtuoso Sandip Battacharya
• 2000; 12'tet 'Beat Sharks' of Allan Laurillard (a fusion of Sun Ra with Break Beats!)
• 2000; 'Estrellas Acosta's Guaijra' - Cuban Country Songs (All Cuban Cast with one exception :-) )
• 2000 - now; Co-programmer of the 'Music: World Series' Concert & Festival Organisation
• 2001; performances with 'mWWm' Mark's Weird Wold Music' feat. percussionist Afra Mussawisade, violinist Oene van Geel and bassist Tony Overwater.
• 2001 - 2003; 'Seafood' by Alan Laurillard (sharp high virtuoso improvisations on Break and Jungle Beats)
• 2002- now; 'Zuiderzee Orcestra' - interactive freestyle Big band
• 2002 - now; Raj Mohan's Vistar - crossover of North Indian classical music and jazz
• 2002 - now; the start of a collaboration with old style House producer/composer/DJ Eric Cycle. Resulting first in the act 'Shiva's Lounge' which evolved into Afro Lounge - New YoRUba BeAt
• 2002 - 2005; Global Village Orchestra - a ten piece world music fusion ensemble feat. a.o. Mola Sylla, Behsat Uvez, Kamil Abbas and Alan Purves.
• 2003; 'Page One' - live dance act by Producer Duo Ivo & Maarten Meijer
• 2003 - now; Raj Mohan's Shairana - a literair programme around North Indian classical music and jazz
• 2003 - 2004; 'Flutes n' Brass' - The Guus Tangelder Big Band fronted by four Flutists
• 2004; Three basses and a flute - a collaboration of the bassplayers Meinrad Kneer, Tony Overwater and Jos Machtel with a flautist
• 2004; Najma Akthar versus Vistar - crossover of Asian Underground with India jazz fusion
• 2004 - 2005; 'Lotz Of Music' and Pendant La Nuit - Lotz Of Music performing as a Finish Jazzband in the theater play Pendant La Nuit by Erik de Vroedt
• 2006; A Fula's Call - world fusion with Omar Ka, Afra Mussawisade and Raphael Vanoli.
• 2005; Flute Jazz Trio - Trio jazz with drummer Joost van Schaaik and bass player Arjen Gorter
• 2006; Lotz Of Music versus VJ Soundshadow - 'A Dutch View On Fish'
• 2007 - now; programmer of a weekly old school improv concert series 'u-ex(perimental)' at the SJU jazzpodium, Utrecht

Composition assignements

• 1997; Assignment for two compositions to be performed by the Utrecht Jazz Pool 1998
• 2000; Assignment for six compositions by the Dutch 'Fonds voor de scheppende Toonkunst'
• 2000; Assignment by the Zapp String Quartet'' for a composition for String Quartet and voice
• 2001; Assignment by the 'Fonds voor de Scheppende Toonkunst' for a composition for String Quartet
• 2002; Assignment for a composition by the 'Travellin' Light' Piano Trio
• 2003; Assignment for a composition by Stichting Multiplex for the project: 'Magic: Stories in music', together with actor Nel Lekatompessy and The Global Village Orchestra.
• 2004; Assignment by the 'Theater de Lantaren' for their 2004 theatre production 'Pendant La Nuit'.
• 2005; Assignment by the Fonds voor de Sheppende Toonkunst to write for our mWWm ensemble A Fula's Callin'
• 2006; Assignment by the Fonds voor de Sheppende Toonkunst to compose for our project with VJ Soundshadow: Lotz Of Music Plays A Dutch View On Fish.

Musicpedagogic activities:

• 1984 - now; Teacher for flute, improvisation and theory
• 1991 - now; Teacher for flute, jazz and ensembles at "Academy of Music" Alphen a/d Rijn
• 1993 - '94; Teacher for flute and advanced training for the teachers in Enschede
• 1994 - now; Workshop leader for various institutions and music schools of music in the Netherlands as well as conservatory Rotterdam.
• 1994 - '95; Member of the education group in the "Jazz in Utrecht" foundation
• 1996; Lecturer in "History of jazz" at the University, Alphen a/d Rijn and the "Culturele Circel Amstelveen" foundation
• 1995 - '96; Teacher for flute and jazz ensemble at "Academy of Music" Amstelveen
• 2000-2001 guest teacher for the Zwolle conservatory

Radio recordings:

• VPRO
• VARA
• NOS
• Bayerischer Rundfunk
• Radio Bremen
• AVRO
• Conzertzender
• NCRV
• Radio West
• NPS
• various radio stations in Suriname (a.o. Apenti)
• Ukranian radio

Television appearances:

• Schooltelevision NOT (Vogel/Lotz duo "Two-Do")
• WDR (Interview, solo)
• Veronica (Vogel/Lotz duo "Two-Do")
• Nederland 2
• Nederland 1, OHM (Mantrafusion with Droeh Nankoe)
• Stadsomroep Utrecht, (Descarga with Alberto 'Molote' Munoz)
• Stadsomroep Utrecht, (Vistar featuring Najma Akthar)
• Various Russian Television channels
• Moldavian Television

Discography:

• T(w)o-Do - CD mostly harmless...!, GLM - Edition Collage 1994
• Lotz Of Music - CD Puasong Daffriek, Laika Records 1994
• Michael Baird - CD On Remote Patrol, SWP 004 1997 (feat. Michael Moore (NL/USA), David Tronzo (USA), Vitold Rek (P/D))
• Lotz Of Music - 2-CD box Le Coq Rouge, Via Records 1997
• Lotz Of Music In Havana - CD Blues For Yemayá, VIA Records 1998. (Featuring Miguel 'Anga' Diaz, Javier Campos Martinez, Amalia Pedroso, Jose Pilar Suarez, Alexis Zayas Rosabal, and others)
• Utrecht Deep Artment - CD Sirenians, SWP 006 1998
• Leticia - CD Je Bent Niet Hip/No Tienes Swing, Leticia Records 1998
• Azucaraba - CD Caminos Par Andar, Via Records 1998
• CD Blue Moods With The Mark Lotz Quartet, Via Records 1999
• Lis Hartong - CD A Distant Place, Mr.D Music 2000
• Zuco 103 - CD tales of high fever, Ziriguiboom/Crammed discs 2002
• Lotz Of Music - 'CD Pum'kin Diaries', LopLop Records 2003
• Global Village Orchestra - CD Globalistic, LopLop Records 2003
• Estrella Acosta - CD Alma Guajira, Estar Records 2003
• Mark Lotz & Shango's Dance - CD Cuban Fishes Make Good Dishes, Random Chance Records & LopLop Records, 2004
• Lotz Of Music CD Pendant La Nuit, LopLop Records 2005
• Albert Molote Munoz CD Nonstopdescarga, Carons Choice, 2005
• The Sound Of Art CD mysterious x-mas lounge vol1, Maxanter records, CD Max 75245
• Raj Mohan CD Kantráki - contract labourer, Pan Records 2006, recorded in Varanasi, India and Utrecht, The Netherlands
• A Fula's Call CD Mark Lotz Meets Omar Ka, Liingu, LopLop Records, Llr 022, November 2007