Mark Alban Lotz
'LA'Ritmo.com Where are you from?Lotz I am of German nationality, grew up in Bangcock and Kampala, now living in Holland.
'LA'Ritmo.com What made you dedicate yourself to music?
Lotz My first contact was through my father Dr.Rainer E. Lotz (also journalist, researcher, author in the field of jazz), he is a collector of records, mainly Jazz. Second, hearing flutist "Michael Heupel" from Bonn. Still my heroe, and "uber ich".
'LA'Ritmo.com What instruments do you play?
Lotz I play the family of flutes (piccollo, concert-, alto-, bass- and contra bass flute), miscellanious instruments like the Flautophon and the Flautette, wooden flutes, tambourin, mouthharp and other toys.
'LA'Ritmo.com You have a distictive style which combines many genres of music such as Afro-Cuban and jazz. Can you describe it.
Lotz About Jazz:
With that ensemble we try to perform jazz not in the classical American way. Being Europeans and world inhabitants we ought to try something else. Also we feel that the future of music is heading to other directions.The fusion:
With religious bata music was an accident. Mister Campos just happend to stay in the Netherlands while we were recording our jazz CD. We grabbed the opportunity to record with him and in a very short time I thought of some simple arrangements. Deliberately, I avoided every influence of salsa (what I call the salsa trap!) and other Musica Popular. Much bigger names realised that already and also we do not live salsa music to a necessary extent.So to describe our fusion I like the term: Fusion of Afro Cuban religious Folklore Music With European Jazz or Lotz Of Music Plays Santeria Music.
'LA'Ritmo.com Why Latin music?
Lotz As stated before it really just happened but I am also addicted to dancing salsa and worked as DJ [el sancto albano] at a little local Latin disco. Through my visits to Cuba I love bata music as well as rumba, son, etc.
'LA'Ritmo.com What is Lotz of Music?
Lotz A jazz quintet with that particular style, Lotz Of Music. What makes the actual music, then the bands (and my own) taste, abilities or disabilities and the advantage of being my own producer. I try not to think of terms like: does it sell etc. I just record and release the music - you can call that kind of producing very avantgarde, or hopelessly old-fashioned because not everyone wants to follow a difficult musical journey. It is hip (taking MTV and the rest of the world as a measure) to be young and sucessful and thus expose an identifiable product, people know what they get. They are right but...I just can't...
'LA'Ritmo.com How did you develop your style?
Lotz Through my education (studies of classical music and jazz music). By doing and not thinking much about it. If you reflect to much you are getting to afraid and cautious. I try to keep my mind open, to absorb and try not to allow my prejustices to gain too much space. By playing and experimenting.It really is like Miles Davis stated already, "just a matter of taste". In my case: bebop tradition, acoustical interpretations, quite simple tunes and arrangements, some knowledge (to a small extent - live is so short) and respect for musical traditions; open minded.
'LA'Ritmo.com What are your influences?
Lotz - As an inhabitant of the 20'th century, I can not help being confronted with many kinds of information which I reflect in my music. Being interested in ethnic music I attend concerts and buy CD's of music from all over the world. What I like and listen to is African music, music from the Balkans, little Arab music, Latin music and I love Pangit Hari Prasead Chaurassia, the great Master of the Indian Bansuri Flute.
Very much Jazz music. As a result of the early confrontation at home and of course through my study of jazz at the Amsterdam School Of Arts. It is a fantastic, fascinating, masculine, intelligent expressive form of art. Through my second study of classical music, at the same high school, my musical horizon expanded much more. Also, I have the advantage of playing with highly skilled musicians, also interested in more traditions of music and able to transform them. I learn from them.
'LA'Ritmo.com Where have you performed?
Lotz In Holland, Germany, Spain, Cuba, USA, France, and Slovakia.
'LA'Ritmo.com Do you currently have your own band What other groups have you played in?
Lotz Recent:
Lotz Of Music as quintet and with the project Lotz Of Music Meets Bata Drums (instrumental) and Lotz Of Music Plays Santeria Music (vocal). Freely Improvised Duets with among others, bassist Tjitze Vogel and drummer Michael Baird. Also, Mark Lotz Quartet with classical jazz music, the octet, Utrecht Deep Artment (a group of modernists), and other incidental projects in the salsa, jazz or improvised field.History:
The Bass Quartet of Tony Overwater, some multimedia performances with noisiVision and others. Besides several ensembles I can list several more known musicians I played and recorded with: David Tronzo, Michael Moore, Theo Lovendie, Harry Sparnay, Michiel Borstlap, Peter Beets, Gijs Hendricks, Vitold Rek and more.
'LA'Ritmo.com How many albums have you recorded (either your own or on others)?Lotz
- CD Vogel/Lotz "T(w)o - Do - mostly harmless...!", GLM - Edition Collage 1994, Munchen-D
- CD "Lotz Of Music - Puasong Daffriek", Laika Records 1994, Bielefeld-D
- CD "Michael Baird - On Remote Patrol", SWP 1997, Utrecht-NL
- 2CD Box "Lotz Of Music - Le Coq Rouge", Via Records 1997, Hilversum-NL
- CD "Azucaraba - Caminos Par Andar" VIA Records 1998
- CD "Utrecht Deep Artment- Sirenians" SWP 1998
- CD "Lotz Of Music In Havana - Blues For Yemaya", VIA Records1998
- CD "Leticia y su Rumba", Munich Records 1998
- CD Mark Lotz Quartet "The sophisticated Lotz", Via Records (march 1999)
- CD "Lotz Of Music - Cuban Fishes Make Good Dishes" Via Records (october 1999)
'LA'Ritmo.com What Latin artists have you played with?
Lotz The known ones are: Miguel Anga Diaz, Nicky Marrero, Joe Santiago, Amelia Pedroso, Xiomarra Larringa, a charanga band in Cuba I forgot the name of, Jose Pilar Suarez, Alexis Zayas Rosabal, Javier Campos Martinez, Frank Rodriguez (piano player on Steve Turres latest CD)
'LA'Ritmo.com Are you signed to a label?
Lotz No, I did not want to sign an exclusive artist contract (but a very attractive deal ...). But, most of my own CD's are distributed and marketed by Via Records.
'LA'Ritmo.com How do you plan to gain exposure for your music?
Lotz I guess I need very much the help of you and other press! The more exposure in magazines, etc., the more people know about me and the project.
'LA'Ritmo.com What artists are you interested in doing future collaborations with?
Lotz There are a lot of very interesting musicians in Europe. Generally I would like to form a trio with two other crazy maniacs, playing not yet heared music and also I really would like to play with my Cuban friends again.