THE IVAN ŠVAGER AMBIRE BAND
MONDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER
Cafe “Zeppelin”, 8 pm
CONCERT
THE IVAN ŠVAGER AMBIRE BAND
Ivan Švager, saxophones
Ljubiša Paunić, saxophone; Prerad Preradović, saxophone
Kosta Vukašinović, trombone; Boris Hložan, guitar
Dragan Ilić, double bass; Miloš Grbatinić, drums
IVAN ŠVAGER, saxophone
Born in 1943 in Petrovaradin, Ivan Švager completed his secondary education at Music Schoool “Isidor Bajić”, in class of Prof. Anton Eberst (clarinet). He was employed for a while on the position of lead alto saxophone in the Radio-television Vojvodina Dance Orchestra. Upon his return to Yugoslavia after spending some time working in the countries of the Western Europe, he got a job in Belgrade as a member of the RTV Belgrade Big Band, first as a baritone and then as the lead alto saxophone player. He stayed with the RTS Big Band until retirement.
He advanced his musical knowledge through correspondent courses of the Berklee College of Music (Berklee Press Publications, Boston, Massachusetts, USA). Ivan Švager has written over three hundred compositions and arrangements, recording many of them with the RTS Big Band and his own small ensembles. He has been featured on a baritone, tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, flute and clarinet.
He has had several releases as a bandleader: Ivan Švager with Big Band RTV Beograd; Jazztet Ivana Švagera „Plus Ultra“; Ivan Švager Jazztet „The Power Of Diversity“; Ivan Švager „Saxophone Quartet“; Ivan Švager „Born Again“ – Featuring Zvonimir Tot; Ivan Švager „Jazz Songs To Relax And Meditation“; Ivan Švager „Cujo“; Ivan Švager Sextet
Most of them were released under the “Vertical Jazz” label. His latest CD, the Ivan Švager „Ambire Bend“, Ad Libitum, is in preparation, supported by SOKOJ (Serbian Music Authors’ Organisation).
LJUBIŠA PAUNIĆ, saxophones and flutes
Born in Belgrade in 1962, Ljuba Paunić has been a member and soloist of the RTS Big Band and a studio musician since 1989. He is also quite active in various jazz, Latin and pop bands.
As a member of the RTS Big Band and many small ensembles, he has had an opportunity to work with a number of national and international jazz legends such as: Dusko Goykovich, Steve Gut, Lazar Tošić, Bora Roković, Benny Golson, Don Menza, Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Eddie Henderson, Ronnie Cuber, Steve Turre, Ray Charles, Ack Van Rooyen, Peter Herbolzheimer, Dianne Schuur, Jon Faddis, Brad Leali, Jesse Davis, Jerome Richardson, among others.
PRERAD PRERADOVIĆ, saxophone
Upon graduation from comprehensive high school in Bačka Palanka, Prerad Preradović continued his education at the Faculty of Law in Novi Sad and Music High School “Isidor Bajić” in Novi Sad, in class of Prof. Mihajlo Kelbli. During the university, he had his small ensemble where he played saxophone and clarinet. He spent a short period with the Novi Sad Big Band. After he graduated from both clarinet and law, he worked as a lawyer for a number of years. In the recent years, he has returned to music, playing in a small ensemble, and two years ago he joined the band led by Ivan Švager.
KOSTA VUKAŠINOVIĆ, trombone
Born on 21st August1995 in Novi Sad, Kosta Vukašinović started his music education at the age of 13, continuing his studies at the music high school. He played with the Vojvodina Jazz Youth Big Band, Novi Sad Big Band, and several small ensembles in Novi Sad, until 2015, when, after a year at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, he enrolled at the academy in Belgrade and started working with the RTS Big Band. He has been a member of the project Backyard Jazz Orchestra twice, in Dortmund and Prague, and in 2016, he was a member of the European EBU project led by BBC in Glasgow. He has appeared at several jazz festivals in the region, mostly as a member of the RTS Big Band, as well as small jazz ensembles.
BORIS HLOŽAN, guitar
Završio je Gimnaziju „Svetozar Marković“, te upisao studije na Odseku za inžinjerstvo i grafički dizajn Fakulteta tehničkih nauka u Novom Sadu. Pohađao je Muzičku školu „Isidor Bajić“, gde je učio klasičnu gitaru, u klasi prof. Zorana Krajišnika. Bavi se rok muzikom i regeom, ali jazz je najvažnija oblast njegovog delovanja. Boris Hložan je jedan od istaknutih mlađih jazz instrumentalista, čije delovanje danas obogaćuje i nastavlja bogatu džezersku tradiciju novosadske muzičke scene. Sam je učio osnove muziciranja na jazz gitari, a nakon toga se usavršavao na radionicama i majstorskim kursevima koje je organizovao Kulturni centar Novog Sada (Novosadski džez festival i Letnja džez akademija Novi Sad – Dortmund), kod profesora Vanje Kevrešana, Ratka Zjače, Petera Herbolchaimera, Jerryja Bergonzija, Uwea Platha, Antala Pusztaija…
Matriculating from the High School “Svetozar Marković”, Boris Hložan enrolled in the Engineering and Graphic Design Department of the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad. He went to Music School “Isidor Bajić”, where he studied classical guitar, in class of Prof. Zoran Krajišnik. He has been active in rock and reggae music, but jazz is the major field of his musical activity. Boris Hložan is one of prominent young jazz instrumentalists, whose activity contributes to and continues the rich jazz tradition of the Novi Sad music scene. Self-taught in the basics of jazz guitar performance, he advanced his knowledge in workshops and master classes organised by the Cultural Centre of Novi Sad (The Novi Sad Jazz Festival and The Summer Jazz Academy Novi Sad-Dortmund), etc., and with Professors Vanja Kevrešan, Ratko Zajča, Peter Herbolchaimer, Jerry Bergonzi, Uwe Plath, Antal Pusztai, among others.
DRAGAN ILIĆ “ČIČAK”, double bass
Dragan Ilić completed his secondary music education in Music School “Isidor Bajić” and graduated from the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Double Bass Section. He played with the Novi Sad Blues Quartet founded in 1968, where his interest in jazz originates from. He has worked as a music programme editor for Radio-television Novi Sad, Radio Novi Sad.
MILOŠ GRBATINIĆ, drums
Born in Šid in 1994, Miloš Grbatinić received his secondary music education in Novi Sad, leaving for Belgrade to study at the Faculty of Music in class of Prof. Miroslav Karlović. Club gigs with local musicians followed. Shortly after that, he got his first engagement with the RTS Big Band, which gave him an opportunity to play with Dusko Goykovich, Steve Gut, Samuel Blaser, John Fedchock, Bobby Shew, Christoph Lauer… He actively performs in Belgrade and at Serbian festivals: in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Kraljevo, Valjevo…
