A duet of Nigerian saxophonist Iye Echa and German flutist Mark Lotz.
They just released their debut album at the Trytone label januari 2023.
Lotz and Echa stretch out ideas of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic conceptions in music. Two distinct musicians from two worlds, two cultures of music, the African and the European join joyfully and seamlessly create surprises, melodic twists and turns, cross-pollination of improvised ideas and melodic invention.
Iye Echa & Mark Lotz
CD NOMYKOM
Iye Echa
Saxophonist, composer, writer, educator
Iye Echa is a Nigerian-born artist, musician, writer and educator. He started music as a percussionist in Nigeria playing in church, school and on the streets.
"My introduction to melodic/harmonic instruments came relatively late during my late teens and early 20s. From playing the guitar in the church to the clarinet and then to the saxophone after listening to Fela Kuti. I started with the clarinet because when I went to buy a saxophone I met a musician at the shop who advised that I start on the clarinet to get my technique together." After playing the clarinet for two years while studying with Jeff Judge of St Anne’s College in Pietermaritzburg South Africa, Echa took up the saxophone while still studying with Judge.
Apart from his earlier studies while in South Africa, Echa has also taken lessons from Dutch saxophonists Marc Scholten, Tom Beek, Paul van der Feen and many others.
As an artist, originality is important to Echa whether creating musical pieces painting or writing. "In my music, I compose original pieces often inspired by my growing up years in Nigeria."
Mark Lotz
flutist
Mark is an improviser and composer who owns a personal language that combines aesthetics and techniques of contemporary classical music with the virility of jazz.
Raised in Thailand and Uganda his appetite for musical adventures takes him all over the globe, exploring and redefining divergent traditions. Always on the lookout for vibrant collaborations with unique voices in music, far from conventional, hitting the essence and celebrate life.
Next to being a prominent figure on the Dutch music scene for around 30 years, Mark is a vibrant personality on the international scene. He particularly gained much international acclaim for his solo recitals, interpretations of Afro-Cuban religious folklore and his collaborations with Turkish free improvised kinds of music.
Mark worked and or recorded with artists like Chris Potter, David Tronzo, Don Byron, Claudio Puntin, Johannes Bauer, Frank Gratkowski, Carlos Zingaro, Thomas Strønen, etc. But also Dutch artists like Han Bennink or Theo Lovendie.
• „Mark Lotz is more than just a big voice in the European jazz scene. He is at the forefront of jazz, classical and World Music and is obviously enjoying every minute of it!” (Article on Lotz Jazz, USA)