Musical Journey
Early Influences and Career Beginnings
My musical journey was shaped by my father, Dr. Rainer E. Lotz, a jazz historian, researcher, discographer, and author. Growing up, I was immersed in his vast record jazz collection and he exposed me to live performances of traditional music in Thailand, Uganda, and concerts by jazz legends like Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, and Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention.
At 17, after hearing flutist Michael Heupel in Bonn, I was so inspired that I worked in a tannery to earn my first flute. Still a student, my professional career began with The Albanism Quartet(1988, featuring pianist Michiel Borstlap), winning multiple prizes and touring Spain, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. My debut album, a duo recording with bassist Tjitze Vogel , was released in 1994, followed by the first album with my long-standing ensemble, Lotz Of Music. Lotz Of Music has been a platform for diverse artistic collaborations. With this ensemble, recordings were made for film, and a project with a VJ, A Dutch View On Fish, was developed. The group has worked with many musicians, including Don Byron and Claudio Puntin. It also made part in the theater production Pendant La Nuit, marking my collaboration with Dutch theater director Eric de Vroedt. It was also with Lotz Of Music that I launched my Cuban Roots project, culminating in a trilogy of albums exploring Yoruba-based music.
Expanding Horizons and Global Collaborations
In 1997, I received my first composition commission for the Utrechts Jazz Pool, leading to numerous commissions in the years that followed for theater, film, and various ensembles.
My career has taken me across the world, collaborating with musicians from A(rmenia) to Z(ambia). My early career also included founding the Utrechts Jazztreffen festival(1993-94) with Tjitze Vogel, later joining his Global Village Orchestraand his world music production office Music: World Series (2000-2014), producing ensembles, compositions and concert tours and for over 14 years. In 2003, I composed for the theater production Magic: Stories In Music.
Since 1990, I have been deeply involved in the Dutch music scene, working across genres and disciplines. Collaborationshave included sculpturer Eveliene van der Graaf, painter Marije Nielen, filmmakers (Bart van Lisdonk, Rolf Orthel, Bernadette van Beurten, Michiel van Bakel), and composers/musicians like Gijs Hendriks, Theo Loevendie(as soloist in his Bons composition), Zapp String Quartet, and Tony Overwater. My work has ranged from duo performances with drummer Michael Baird (1994-95) to experimental projects with VJ Soundshadow.
A pivotal collaboration began in 1997 with Cuban master drummer Javier Campos Martinez, culminating in a trilogy of albums interpreting Afro-Cuban religious folklore. Between 1996 and 2004, we recorded and performed with soloists from Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba, Clavé y Guaguancó, and Yoruba Anabo, like Miguel ‘Anga’ Diaz, Amalia Pedroso and José Pilar Suarez.
Innovation and Cross-Cultural Projects
In 2000, I launched mWWm (Mark’s WILD WORLD Music), which has seen five editions, collaborating with artists such as Kenyan dancer John Kayongo, Indian tabla player Sandip Bhattacharya, Moldavian violist Anatol Steffanet, and Gambian kora player Lamin Kuyate. Notably, the ensemble A Fula’s Call, featuring Senegalese vocalist Omar Ka, became successful, working with cellist Ernst Reijseger or the Euro Brass Orchestra, releasing two albums and touring across Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Egypt, Bulgaria, and China.
My classical debut came in 2003 with a performance of Denisov’s Concerto for Contrabass, Flute, and Double Orchestra. Since then, I’ve pursued various classical ventures, including performing as a soloist in Theo Loevendie‘s composition Bons, and collaborating with David Patrick‘s ensembles on interpretations of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring and Debussy’s Jeux. I also co-founded Shiva’s Lounge with House music producer Eric Cycle and vocalist Raj Mohan, evolving into Afro Lounge – New Yoruba Beat, performing at festivals in Germany and the Netherlands. This collaboration with Raj Mohan continues today.
Since 2002, my deep connection with Turkey has led to collaborations with a.o. Sibel Kose, Kamil Erdem, Sarp Maden, Bora Çeliker, Ali Perret, and Istanbul’s avant-garde scene (the wet dogs of Istanbul ‘Islak Köpek’, and Sevket Akinci, Umut Caglar), resulting in albums such as Odd Tango, Akide, Istanbul Improv SessionsMay 4& 5,. Notably the collaboration with electronic music artist Korhan Erel resulted in many concerts, collaborations with a.o. Frank Gratowski, Gebhardt Ullman, and the project: IstanPOOL.
Touring, Advocacy, and New Frontiers
Heavy touring followed, taking me across North America, Canada, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East performing in jazz, world music, and free improvisation settings. From 2007 to 2011, I co-curated with bassist Meinrad Kneer the U-Ex(perimental) seriesfor free improvised music in Utrecht. In 2011, I became actively involved in advocacy, serving 11 years on the board of BIMpro and founding the BIM Podium Initiative (2019), a stimulation price for small venues.
My solo album release Solo Flutes (2016) gained high international acclaim. Many collaborations with artists worldwide followed, including Brazilian guitarist Daniel Marquez, Portuguese musicians Miguel Mira & Carlos Zíngaro, Taiwanese artists Shi-Yang Lee & Terry Hsieh, Indian sitar master Ustad Chhote Rahimat Khan, and many many more stunning artists from China, Spain, France, Italy, India, Taiwan, Turkey, Okinawa, Poland, etc.
In 2016, I founded Jazz On The Sofa, a jazz festival in chamber music in and around Castle Zeist, which continues today. I also intensified my work with percussionist Alan Purves, recording Food Foragers as a duo and that year also saw my comeback to jazz with the Mark Lotz Trio.
Recent Works and Social Impact
In 2018, I co-founded the Møde Ensemble (Portugal/Denmark) with Nelson Cascaisand Joao Paulo Estebes da Silva and began working with filmmaker Michiel van Bakeland Japanese dancer Kenzo Kusuda. During the pandemic, I composed music for the Taiwanese immersive theater play June, releasing albums Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out! (with music inspired by the eight circles of consciousness by Dr. Timothy Leary) and Freshta, the latter dedicated to Afghan women’s rights activists Freshta Kohistani. With Mandala Tribe I initiated a fusion where Indian music intertwines with electronic elements, which will release it’s first CD in 2025.
My artistic work has increasingly focused on social impact, leading projects such as Mark My Wor(l)ds, VOLfest, Gist!, VOLbeat, Sojourner’s Truth, and Freshta. In 2024, I debuted Epiphyllum – Queen of the Night, an alto flute solo performance inspired by a rare cactus that blooms only once at night, marking my entry into ambient electronic music.
