Klemen Smolej, guitar
Lenart Krečič, saxophone
Lovro Ravbar, saxophone

Conductor: Lojze Krajnčan

Programme:

Lovro Ravbar (1977):
Changes *
Erlebnis *
Night Ride *
Klemen Smolej (1975):
Provocations
Does It Matter ?
Say It Right
Lenart Krečič (1982):
Straighten Up!
Movin’ Up
Baobab
Tadej Tomšič (1975):
Catch Da Buzz

* premiere performance

Founded 71 years ago, the RTV Slovenija Big Band is one of the oldest ensembles of its kind anywhere in the world. Once known as the Radio Ljubljana Dance Orchestra, its first leader was the conductor and composer Bojan Adamič, who was notable for his cosmopolitanism and artistic breadth. In the early 1960s he was replaced by Jože Privšek, who wrote more than four thousand arrangements for the Big Band and brought it to a remarkably high artistic level. Following Privšek’s retirement in 1992 the leadership of the orchestra was taken over by Lojze Krajnčan. Other conductors have included Petar Ugrin, Milko Lazar, Emil Spruk and many leading jazz conductors from around the world. Today the RTV Slovenija Big Band is a thoroughly rejuvenated ensemble. Most of its members have studied at jazz academies abroad and all are virtuoso performers on their instruments. Hugo Šekoranja, for many years a saxophonist with the Big Band, took over as artistic director in 2002. In 2014 the Big Band gained new management, with Patrik Greblo as director of musical production and Aleš Suša, Adam Klemm and Blaž Trček as members of the artistic council. All are active members of the ensemble.

Throughout its history the RTV Slovenija Big Band has collaborated with famous names from the world of jazz. Appearing with the Big Band on this occasion are some outstanding Slovene instrumentalists who are also the composers of the works in the programme. The programme begins with the premiere performances of new pieces by Lovro Ravbar, written for the largest ensemble he has composed for to date. Given the superlative abilities of the musicians, he allowed his imagination free rein when composing these pieces. Next comes a selection from the first original big band project by Klemen Smolej, first performed in 2013 by this same ensemble and due out on CD later this year. The work is designed as a homage to the blues and each of the pieces contains a hint of this form of expression, which has influenced so many styles of music. Lenart Krečič composed the pieces in the programme specifically for the RTV Slovenija Big Band, with individual members in mind for the various solos. The works were first performed in 2015 with Krečič conducting. For this performance he will be taking solos in each of the three pieces. Finally the members of the Big Band and the instrumental soloists will perform the work of Tadej Tomšič, for a storming and satisfying end to a jazz-tinged evening, conducted by Lojze Krajnčan.

Photos