Bio (EN)

Marcian Petrescu is currently rated as THE BEST HARMONICA BLUES PLAYER in Romania, with a sound and stage presence on par with his US counterparts.

He is also a vocalist, lyricist, composer, harmonica teacher, harmonica repair technician, radio shows producer.

He was born in Onești on January 1, 1974. At the tender age of 8, he discovered music on his grandfather’s audio tapes, and was permanently influenced by artists such as Ray Charles, Santana, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Harry Belafonte, Memphis Slim. Shortly after 1989, Marcian began avidly collecting rare blues recordings, developing an impressive collection over time.

His passion for the blues somehow logically led to a desire to learn to play the harmonica, which he began to study as a self-taught musician in 1996, at the age of 22, deciphering with (almost fanatical) intensity the mysteries of the instrument from recordings by Sonny Boy Williamson II, Little Walter, Charlie Musselwhite, Sugar Blue and Paul Butterfield. Two years later he formed his first band called Blues Syndicate. With this band he would play locally in various clubs and at several local festivals, opening for bands such as Iris, Vita De Vie and Pasarea Colibri.

Between 1995-1999 he would work as a music program producer for two local radio stations and a local TV station, establishing himself as a true blues and classic rock scholar. After moving to Bucharest, between 2007 and 2015, he continued his work as a music producer with the show „POVEȘTILE BLUESULUI” on RADIO LYNX, an online radio station.

In November 1999 he started his professional activity by founding the band TRENUL DE NOAPTE, in Bistrița, together with keyboardist Florin Bejan. With the formula of that time (which was active until December 2002), concerts were held in the most important and prestigious clubs in Bucharest, as well as in cities such as Bistrița, Bacău, Tg. Mureș, Craiova, Timișoara, Onești.

Marcian Petrescu on stage (Bistrița, 1999)

Between January and June 2003 he played with Florin Bejan in Malta, under the name STORYTELLERS, an acoustic project that he would reform in November 2006 and perform with him more or less constantly.

After moving to Bucharest, between 2003-2007, he worked with Mike Godoroja in the band BLUE SPIRIT, with whom he recorded the album CAPRA VECINULUI (2006) and performed in most of the major cities of the country.

Between November 2006 and October 2007 he reformed the STORYTELLERS project together with guitarist Florin Giuglea, playing concerts in many important cities.

He returned to his solo career with TRENUL DE NOAPTE in September 2007, shortly after the release of his first album „DEPENDENT DE BLUES”.

The album received excellent promotion thanks to an absolutely special event organized by Marcian. It was the first Romanian tour with his friend and idol – the legendary american musician SUGAR BLUE (double Grammy winner and rated as THE BEST BLUES HARMONICA PLAYER IN THE WORLD), which included six cities: Timisoara, Buzău, Bucharest, Piatra Neamț, Cluj, Brasov.

In 2008 he performed a second tour with Sugar Blue(in the cities: Timișoara, Buzău, București, Cluj, Piatra Neamț, Galați), during which Sugar Blue also recorded a song for his second studio album, „POVEȘTILE BLUESULUI”, which was released in March 2009.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Sugar Blue

In May 2009, together with his band, he was the opening act for the concert held in Bucharest by the legendary american blues harmonica player CHARLIE MUSSELWWHITE, a concert that led to a beautiful friendship between the two, which was to materialize in 2012 with Charlie’s participation as special guest on two tracks on the third studio album of the band Trenul De Noapte – „desCÂNTECE DE BLUES”.

In November 2009 he toured with Sugar Blue for the third time (in Timișoara, Buzău and Cluj), promoting the album nationwide.

In 2010, Marcian and his band were the opening act for the concert held in Bucharest by the exceptional californian blues band RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS, an experience repeated in 2014 in their concerts in Bucharest and Galati.

In 2012 he released the album „desCANTECE DE BLUES”, where he had as special guest the legendary Charlie Musselwhite.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Charlie Musselwhite

Since April 2015, in addition to the band Trenul De Noapte, Marcian reactivated the STORYTELLERS project, but strictly on acoustic coordinates, initially with guitarist Florin Giuglea. With this project, the two gave a very successful recital at the first edition of the „Dichis’n’Blues” Festival(Tulcea, 2015). Since November 2016, Florin has been replaced by guitarist Mihai Tacoi.

In September 2016, Marcian had the honor to be a guest on stage in the concert performed by the famous american musician Billy Branch, during the second edition of the „Dichis’n’Blues” festival.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Billy Branch

In October 2016, Marcian had the incredible honor to be invited on the stage of the Palace Hall in Bucharest with the famous THE ORIGINAL BLUES BROTHERS BAND, which featured two of the original members: guitarist Steve Cropper and saxophonist Lou Marini.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with the Blues Brothers

In 2018, the album „DRIFTING BLUES” was released, with the renowned american musician Rick Estrin as guest of honor. The album received very good reviews and sales.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Rick Estrin

In 2019, during the fifth edition of the „Dichis’n’Blues” festival, Marcian once again shared the stage with a big name of the american blues scene – the sensational Kenny Neal.

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Kenny Neal

The year 2023 brings a new studio album titled „MORE THAN BLUES”, once again featuring Charlie Musselwhite as special guest.

Marcian is so far the ONLY ROMANIAN BLUES MUSICIAN who managed the feat of having three legendary american blues musicians as guests on his studio albums: Rick Estrin, Sugar Blue and Charlie Musselwhite (the last two being Grammy Award winners!).

Throughout his career, Marcian has been invited on stage by several world-renowned blues artists: Jonathon Boogie Long, Oscar Benton, Nine Below Zero.

Marcian Petrescu on stage at the Brezoi Open Air Blues Festival

In July 2023, he was on stage at the BREZOI OPEN AIR BLUES FESTIVAL, alongside the exceptional irish singer Kaz Hawkins, his harmonica performance being featured on the album „LIVE AT BREZOI” which Kaz Hawkins released it in world premiere at the 2024 edition of the same festival. Marcian thus marks a new premiere for a romanian blues artist !

On the occasion of the concert held in July 2024 at the Brezoi Open Air Blues Festival, with STORYTELLERS, the first album of the project was released, entitled „RECORDED LIVE”, a unique and extremely special record, containing 14 tracks selected from three concerts held in 2021 and 2022.

In addition to his concert and studio activity, since 2005, Marcian has also established himself as a good harmonica teacher.

Also, since 2009, Marcian has dedicated himself with great seriousness to an assiduous work of research and innovation in the field of harmonica sound.

Thus, in 2012 he managed to develop a sound system concept dedicated to harmonica, that is absolutely unique in the world (!!!!), which he made it public on youtube and which is called „ACOUSTIC & AMPLIFIED HARMONICA SOUND SYSTEM”. Marcian uses this system in all his concerts and over the years has made a number of improvements and developments to make it even more versatile.

Between 2020 and 2022, together with a friend of his, the electronist Dan Paraschivescu, he has succeeded in developing another unique device. It is a special device dedicated to eliminating feedback when using harmonica amplified sound on stage, in a LIVE context, by means of a dedicated harmonica microphone and a tune or solid state amplifier. The device is called „HARMONICA FEEDBACK KILLER & Mid-Bass EQUALIZER” and is currently available for sale worldwide!

Marcian Petrescu on stage with Oscar Benton

It should be mentioned that besides blues, Marcian has also made his mark with great impact on the studio recordings of artists from light music, pop, pop-rock, hip-hop and folk: 3 SUD EST, Margareta Pâslaru, Marcel Pavel, Direcția 5, C.I.A. (Craiova Independent Artists), Victor Socaciu, Vasile Șeicaru, Adrian Sarmasan, Romeo Ifrim.

For the last four years, Marcian has been working on a dedicated harmonica handbook, which will be called „BEGINNER’S HARMONICA GUIDE”, which he hopes to finalize it in 2026.

With almost 1500 concerts in a professional career of 25 years, Marcian is at his best on stage and looks forward to seeing you at his concerts.