Reviews from Germany - 2004 tour. (Translated)

Badische Zeitung - Celebrating Original Rhythm Guitar Artist: Mark Sepic

Lahr:  The Canadian Mark Sepic gave two exceptional Jazz and Latin concerts in Lahr this weekend:  Friday at Canada House and on Saturday at the Stiftsschaffneikeller.  During the two hour performance the talented guitarist went beyond many musical borders innovative layering and a variety of entertaining style directions.

     The artist displays proof that Rumba, Blues and Flamenco are not strictly separate genres.  The filigree game and the amazing dexterity, with which Sepic coaxes magical tones from his guitar, accord self-compositions like "Flame" or "Mariachi", unbelievable originality.  On the side he sprinkles in, sympathetic, loose, outgoing jokes and humour.  But also as talented rhythm musician Sepic puts the audience in amazement: Bossa nova, Calypso, Bolero - interchangeable rhythms - for him, no problem!  Because this full-blooded musician celebrates them in a very untraditional way: at first glance, everyday items like beer bottles, cigar cases or key chains have little to do with middle or south American music.  It comes across as if the simplest everyday objects in the hands of Sepic become great sounding musical instruments.  With the help of digital loop equipment which allows, following the old reel-reel method, principle percussion sounds to repeat all the time and crafting out of individual, apparently inconsequential elements, including jaw harps, fascinating sound layers, for example with "Cactus Castaneda".  That this way of planning does not end in chaos, but rather the impression is, there stands one multi-person percussion group on stage, speaks for Sepic's perfection and finesse. 

     Mark finished his show with a successful interpretation of James Brown's "I feel Good" and Sinatra's "I Get a Kick", for an impressed audience.  The family man from Toronto would definitely like to return to Ortenau: Whoever does not wish to wait for his next live performance, we recommend Sepic's self-produced CD "El Vaco".  The CD is hard pressed to recreate the live performance, but does portray the Canadian's art and playing ability.

Lahr und Region  A Guitarist with Many Sides Mark Sepic impresses with concerts at Canada Haus and Stiftsschaffneikeller

Lahr.  For Canadian Mark Sepic, music is above all ‘a great joy’, an area of experimentation, that he works on by far not only with his guitar.  Upon invitation from friends to be their guest for a few days in Lahr, he of his own will performed two different concerts.  In his Canadian hometown of Toronto, Mark Sepic is often found in schools.  He gives children lessons in early musical development, builds instruments with them from waste, and shares with them a feeling for rhythm.  Among his tools he includes a guitar, a microphone and all sorts of everyday objects that in his hands are transformed into musical instruments His most important tool is however a recording device, a ‘Loop-Station’ with which he can record individual sounds and layer them one on top of the other.  In an endless stream they become a rhythmic base, which he uses as the mainframe for his music.  For the children it is a pleasure, a game where they join in and can continuously discover new instruments.  That he doesn’t only amaze kids with it, he showed this weekend with two performances at Canada Haus and Stiftsschaffneikeller.  With visible pleasure he also had the adult audience discovering the new ‘tricks’ and listening fascinated to two concerts that played out like an entire band were performing.

     On Friday in Canada Haus an overly brave musician presented himself, a big boy in short pants who was clearly brought much pleasure by amazing his audience with the new.  With handmade drums and wooden percussion instruments, as well as everyday objects, he produced beats on top of which he played his music.  “What do you want to hear”, was a question asked of the familiar characters attending his concerts.  Flamenco and Latin American guitar music evolved into country, Italian schmaltz and a potpourri of unfamiliar.  At the end he played Jazz standards, which he accompanied with everything from double bass to wind instruments and the use of his vocal chords.  Clearly more in concerto form was the Saturday evening performance, which was the social event of the spring.   Before an audience of more than 100 at the Stiftsschaffneikeller, Mark Sepic presented a musical trip around the world.  He mixed Latin jazz with Flamenco and Blues,  demonstrating the high art of musical performance with his own body and his classy style on the acoustic guitar.  Whereto Sepic delivered numerous improvisations and self-written atmospheric compositions.