Luiz Marquez Mexico

Luiz Márquez (Mexico) - composer and leader of Mezcal. Mezcal is a musical movement inspired by the force of nature through Ethno Jazz. It adds a new sound to the repertory of "world music". Its sound is a fusion of ethnical roots (Prehispanic Mesoamerican and Latin American music ) with Jazz.

A native of Mexico, performer and folklorist, Luiz Márquez devoted his life to the study of pre-Colombian musical instruments, exploring the myriad creative traditions found among the indigenous ethnic groups of contemporary Mexican culture. Márquez collected well over 200 native instruments, some of them copies from instruments dating back as far as 1000 years. (All this copies are made specially for him, in the way of the ancient techniques.)

Luiz Márquez started his studies of ethnical music in 1971 under supervision of maestro Zacharias Segura (+) (musical director from the Mexican National Folkloric Ballet) ***This music touched his soul. After several musical experiments while living in Europe, in 1986 Luiz Márquez decided to return to his roots: Mexico, its Indios, its landscapes, its tradition, its music,... There he created a new sound, ***Ethno Jazz, combining the sophistication of the cities with his indigenous roots. His music is a pure relationship between North and South, in which the magic of tradition interfinger with Blues and the relation of nature with man is highlighted. In his music he uses several copies from authentic pre Columbian instruments such as Huéhuetl's , Teponaztle's, turtle shells, sea shells, different types of ocarinas and a large variety of flutes in bamboo, clay and bone.

This enigmatic multi-instrumentalist draws from the diverse culture and history of his Mexican homeland, as well as his early experiences playing; blues, jazz, rock, Latin.. Based in Ghent Currently Belgium, combines saxophone, pre-Columbian instruments, and percussion with other instruments such as guitar, violin, bass and percussions to cast a spell of ritualistic intensity. Like shadows from Mexico's sultry and savage past, his music has a dark quality to it that sometimes scares off the unprepared, but adventurous listeners will find plenty to admire in his evocation of jungles, landscapes, and Aztec rites. Though his albums are often difficult to find, most of his work releases are really underground.

Discography
• Album "El Coyote" 1989 (Pat More Records Belgium) / • CD "Danza" 1992 (Peyote Records United Kingdom) / • CD "Pajaros Libres" 1995 (B. Sharp Records Belgium) / • CD "Systol" 1997 (As Palavras Records Brasil) / • CD "Izcalli" Oda a Fray Pedro de Gante 2001 (Culture Records Belgium) / • CD "From Shell to Sax" 2006 (Ferri Records Belgium) / • CD "Fragmentos Mezcal I" 2008 (Peyote Records Europe)

Research
• I.P.E.M. (Institute for Psycho-acoustic and Electronic Music, University Ghent, Belgium) / • Jazz Studio, Royal Music Conservatory, Ghent, Belgium / • Pre-Hispanic art and music instruments in the Mezzo American Cultures

Compositions for Theatre, Dance and Poetry
• "Laura" / • "Gota Gota" / • "Mictlan" / • "El Rebozo" / • "Het dispuut van Valladolid" / • "Systol" / • "De Gevederde Slang" / • "Wonderlijke vertelligen" / • "Canto de un continente" / • "Flor y Canto" / • "Chan-Ok" / • "México y Cuba Ensueño" / • "Zelfreizende Verhalen" / • "Het Feest van de Dood" / • "Los Nueve Cielos del Inframundo"

Festivals
• Brussels Jazz Rally (BE) / • Expo Internacional Sevilla (ESP) / • Jazz Rally Festival Düsseldorf (DE) / • Gentse Feesten (BE) / • Festival of Dance Theatre Moscow (RU) / • Jazz en Otoño (MEX) / • Fiesta de la muerte (BE) / • International Jazz Festival Lille (FR) / • Festival Internacional de Teatro Circulo Nal. de Bellas Artes (ESP) / • Art Point Festival Koblenz (DE) / • Dance and Music Festival Tallin (EST) / • Candela Festival (BE) / • Jazz Festival Terneuzen (NL) / • Theatre BOM Festival (BE) / • International Story Teller Festival (NL) / • Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (CUB) / • Surdanal Ethnic-Jazz (NOR) / • Instituto Superior de las Artes (CUB) / • Victoria Deluxe Festival (BE) / • Mexican Tour North Sea Coyotes (MEX) / • Bosnian Tour Bruno Deneckere (BIH) / • ...

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