“Without my hands, I would be lost”

Zarek tends to be described as a musical chameleon. And rightly so: his versatility is impressive! This humorous entertainer, who has been living in Switzerland since 2016, has not just mastered the widest range of techniques, he also switches between the most varied of styles with great ease and almost as a matter of course. An original jazzy fingerstyle composition meets a soulful version of “Somewhere over the rainbow” with echoes of flamenco? Sounds like Zarek.

Every day a little different

Music has accompanied Zarek throughout his life. When he thinks back to his childhood, he thinks of the song Ocean by John Butler. The 29-year-old full-blooded musician has been living in Basel for almost five years now. “When I arrived here, it was also my first trip to Switzerland”, he recalls. Why leave behind the ocean, which Zarek misses terribly by the way, and start anew here? “Well, there are two reasons: Firstly, my father lives with my stepmother here in Basel. Having grown up on the other side of the world, I really appreciate being able to spend time with them now. And secondly, I wanted to take the opportunity to get to know what it is like living in Europe – in private life and from a musical perspective.” What Zarek particularly appreciates about Basel, in contrast to New Zealand, which is geographically very isolated, is the direct access to the widest varieties of cultures, languages and musical styles. “This intercultural diversity has been enormously enriching for me. On both a personal and musical level.”

It is also the diversity in his guitar playing which Zarek particularly enjoys. “My music is different every day and that’s the way it should be.” At the beginning of his career his main source of inspiration was the guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel. “Nowadays it is good music per se that gives me energy. Of course, starting afresh like this has not always been easy. “Especially at the beginning, I found it really difficult; I didn’t know yet how to interpret the various forms of behaviour of the many different cultural groups here. So many subtleties, nuances and unexpressed implications, all at once there!” Five years on, Zarek feels at home in Basel. And anyway: “Home is where the guitar is”, he banters.

Musical act of love

Zarek has mastered the language of music since he was a child. He was 14 when he started playing the guitar. “I had the greatest teacher you could possibly wish for: Lance Murch. He didn’t just teach me the value of timing and musical instinct, he also taught me how important a professional attitude is in this business – and not just when you’re on stage! On top of that, he gave me my first electric guitar. His generosity and leadership provided me with the necessary portion of inspiration to tackle my musical career.”

A career that has unfortunately been held up a bit thanks to corona. “I just can’t wait to be a real musician again – to travel to new places and share my music with the people I meet there.” Like plenty of other artists Zarek is fed up of sitting in front of a camera, hooked up to a cheap microphone, and then playing in an empty room for an internet audience of just a couple of people. “The great thing about live concerts is the combination of the experiences and the feeling of being in flow with the show you are playing! Each concert has something special and unique about it.”

As unique as his guitar playing. You just have to experience that live! When Zarek plays he seems to merge into one with his instrument. His fingers move as though they were created to arouse the guitar to life and show consideration for all its moods and whims, to caress it. For Zarek there is music in everything. “Even when I’m not playing, it’s there.” Zarek is not even quiet when he takes a shower: “What I like best, is singing improvised choruses about the nuances of the exquisite art of showering”, he jokes. Humorous and witty: That is Zarek – in private and when he is playing guitar.