The Lost Underground Session by Darwin Ortiz

In 1984, Darwin Ortiz’s friend John Clark arranged for Darwin to get together with some of John’s magic buddies. The result was a virtuoso, marathon performance by Darwin in an informal setting. Fortunately, John videotaped it all. Long thought lost, the footage has recently surfaced and is being made available for the first time.

Darwin performs about two-dozen effects. These include classic Ortiz creations as well as powerful—and often little-known—effects from Marlo, Lorayne, Cervon, Max Maven, Paul Harris, Ted Annemann, and others. Darwin also performs seldom-seen items from his legendary gambling act.

Darwin holds court for two hours, doing world-class card magic in a casual environment. This performance-only release shows how a top professional pulls off an astonishing informal performance.

As a bonus, Darwin shares a few stories and teaches subtleties and touches on some classic sleights. Best of all, you’ll see a master card handler performing in his prime.

Note: This was recorded in 1984 with home video equipment. The picture and audio quality reflect that fact.