|
|
Mark Herzog  Mark Herzog was born in 1967 in Los Angeles, California. Music has always been a part of his life. His parents were both musicians. His mother plays classical piano and sings and his father played the violin and sang. From a very young age his musical ear was being honed. His father enjoyed listening to symphony music in the car and they would play a game of trying to identify which instruments were being played at what time. At the age of 8, a family friend gave him some college level books dealing with music theory and he began applying what he learned to piano and guitar. At the age of 10, Mark began studying the violin.
From 1990 to 1999 Mark traveled the world as an International Flight Attendant and had the opportunity to play with musicians from all over the world. This experience opened his mind to different rhythms and styles of musical expression, something that would be of immeasurable help in the future. While living in Miami, he worked with the Al Galvez band and played at different venues around South Beach.
In 1998 by a strange twist of fate, Mark saw a performance given by the maestro Miguel Espinoza and his life was forever changed. Flamenco was a music that touched him deep within his soul and from that point on, there was no looking back. He began intense studies of flamenco, learning about the different rhythms and “palos” that make up this amazing art. Since then, he has had the honor of studying with various maestros including Guillermo Salazar, Vincent Chavez, and as luck would have it, with the man who changed his life, Miguel Espinoza.
By another strange twist of fate, Mark met Natalia, a flamenco dancer from Spain and member of this group, who in 2001 became his wife. Since that time they have collaborated as a duo and with other musicians and dancers from the Denver area.
Mark has collaborated with musicians from all over the world. He plays music with Tito del Barrio Malaga, a wonderful guitarist and singer from Morocco. They play a mix of North African and Flamenco music and have been playing at the 9th Door restaurant weekly for over 2 years. They have also played at the Lakewood Cultural Center and La Rumba.
In 2005 he was hired as lead guitarist for Su Teatro’s production of Westside Oratorio, directed by Daniel Valdez, who has been in movies such as The China Syndrome, Zoot Suit, and La Bamba. The show was held at the Kenneth King Center on the Auraria Campus in Denver. This also gave him the opportunity to work with other Hollywood actors and musicians including Jesse Borrego (Con Air, 24, CSI Miami, etc.), Rosanna De Soto (Melrose Place, Law & Order, La Bamba, etc.), and Tish Hinojosa.
Mark, then, had the pleasure of playing lead guitar and assisting with the musical arrangements on Dinorah’s 2006 production, Ojos de Amor.
While doing all this, Mark and Natalia put together a group called Embrujo Flamenco, along with Vincent Chavez and Sara Deloe. They have played at different venues around Denver including the Oriental Theater and The Church Nightclub.
It is an honor for Mark to work with Natalia, Nina, and Gregory and he is looking forward to great things coming out of this collaboration.
| | |
|