This, in essence, quintet, led by the impeccable vocalist Aleksandra Bijelic Aleksijevic, premiered in the expanded, seven-member band on Zimska scena of “Ljetopis”: Ivan Aleksijevic (piano), Milan Pavkovic (bass), Milos Grbatinic (drums), Marko Djordjevic trumpet), Kristijan Mlacak (saxophone) and famous Dragoslav Freddie Stanisavljevic (trumpet).
The music by the orchestra "Alex and the Fergusons" is characterized by incredible ease and spontaneity. If you look closely at each of the musicians on the scene, you will notice that behind everything there is proper training and significant experience of these jazz seniors. According to Aleksandra Bijelic Aleksijevic, whom the audience in Bar had the opportunity to meet during last year's edition of Zimska scena, this band was gathered by the love towards the same music.
"We enjoy playing, and I love it while we make music. We perform mainly in Belgrade, and also, we often receive invitations from Vienna and Ljubljana. We are happy to be guests in Montenegro, where we usually perform on the coast. Dragoslav Fredi Stanisavljevic has gathered us for this occasion, and we are here tonight, for the first time, in an extended composition," she said.
Through her fruitful career, Bijelic Aleksijevic performed with prestigious musicians, and cooperation with RTS Big band is just one of many. She is active in the field of pedagogy, and since 2013 she has been leading the Pančevo children's choir "Čuperak", and the youngest are familiar with her work through animated and cartoon films, where she lends her voice to many heroes but also through songs that accompany films for the youngest. During the concert at the Culture Hall, the audience had the opportunity to hear, among other things, a composition from the cult film "Tom & Jerry", while Bijelic Aleksijevic emphasized that classical jazz music is of great importance for the youngest and that they have a lot of influence on further development of musical taste.
We grew up on Disney Cartoons, and through them all, a very high quality, jazz or classical music was introduced. It is really important that this kind of music is listened to in that earliest period. I started to like jazz from my parents. In our house, we listened to it very often, and my first encounter was with Aretha Franklin, then Nina Simon, after whom I also listened to the more popular Diane Krol, Michael Bubble and others," she added.
The jazz audience was eagerly expecting this performance also due to Dragoslav Stanisavljevic Fredi, one of the missionaries of Serbian jazz in the world. This trumpeter studied at the Jazz Department of the Academy of Music in Graz, and the citizens of Bar already know him as lead trumpeter and music editor of the Big Band RTS. However, besides those present at the Bar Cultural Center, the pleasure of meeting the famous Freddy and the musicians was also attended by the students of ŠOMO "Petar II Petrović Njegoš". Entirely spontaneously, by hearing the sound of the trumpet, the members of the band decided to visit them at the general surprise of the professors and pupils and to give some advice on making music to the younger generations. According to Stanisavljevic, many talented jazz musicians come from Montenegro, but the development of the jazz scene has yet to take place.
"Even from your legendary Šule Jovovic and his pupils, jazz in Montenegro is becoming more prominent, but the most important thing is that all people who have an influence struggle to open a jazz section. After that we will all be able to contribute because it represents a real springboard for further education and a prerequisite for someone to become a professional," he said.
Stanisavljevic was optimistic about the perspective of the jazz scene in the region. Although the language of music is universal, and certainly jazz has the world's largest audience, he thinks that our region has a scene and education that is not negligible.
"Maybe there are no such investments in jazz like there are in the society, but I would not say that we are without perspective. There is a school system and numerous radio orchestras, although perhaps this is not a time of prosperity, I would say that this is a good stagnation, if something like that exists. Still, positive things are happening, and many musicians are returning from abroad. We have Milos (drum) who is a young boy, and he plays at a professional level, even more than that, so I think that good days are coming. Values are coming back, and the fact is that one society cannot be formed in a cultural sense without classical and jazz music. It should be part of the educational, television and radio systems and programs, and therefore the jazz scene will exist in every country in the region," Stanisavljevic concluded.
Behind the composition "Alex & the Fergusons" is a successful CD release called "A Basementsession", and as the famous trumpeter has discovered, new projects are already planned for which they have prepared musical arrangements.
On the last Thursday in February, Zimska scena of "Ljetopis" is reserved for a literary program within which a new book by Aleksandar Djuricic "The Guardian - Widows of Writers" will be promoted. The author will speak about the book and his work with the moderator Vesna Cadjenovic, in King Nikola's Palace.
Text by CdM, on February 22nd, 2019, read more at CdM
