Vasko Atanasovski Trio

Performing their uplifting blend of Balkan bop, gypsy swing and other shades of Slavic influenced jazz since 2009, Vasko Atanasovski Trio is composed of Vasko Atanasovski on saxophone, clarinet and voice, Dejan Lapanja on guitar and Marjan Stanić on drums. The band is closely tied to other projects by Atanasovski, an extraordinary musician whose creative output in the recent decade or so has made him one of the more prolific Slovenian jazz musicians. All three artists have collaborated together before, in some of his other ensembles, and some of the compositions that they play as a trio, come from those previous bands.

While the latest album was released in 2012, the trio toured a lot in recent years, building its repertoire and profiling their sound. Notably, they've made a name for themselves in China, where they have first toured in 2009, earning many festival invitations an returning for another tour in 2011.

Vasko Atanasovski Trio (Vasko3) - Come to me by Vasko Atanasovski on YouTube

Vasko Atanasovski Trio on a rehearsal in November 2010.

Band's background

Although playing and recording since the mid 1990s, Vasko Atanasovski first released a (solo) album under his name in 2001. A year later and with him leading a quartet, another album came out and from there on about one per year continued till 2009. The stylistic variety of his compositions spans from klezmer polkas to renaissance music, almost always with an added touch of improvisation. Besides leading his own bands, he also plays in Erich Fischer Quartet and Bratko Bibič & The Madleys, and is featured on on many albums by other artists. He is writing music for orchestras and choirs and has done scores for puppet, dance and drama shows.

Of his more notable stage collaborations, playing with Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen and Zlatko Kaučič in the Townhall, New York, must be mentioned. Other international formations he played in include Living Colour, Michel Godard, Hindi Zahra, Wilbert de Joode, Damir Imamović and Tamara Obrovac, to name just a few. He regularly appears on various stage of prominent European festivals and clubs like the Jazz & Wine Festival, Druga Godba Festival, Euro Jazz Festival and Porgy&Bess.

Of Marjan Stanić, much can be found elsewhere, as he is one of the most productive (and also one of the best) percussionists in Slovenia, playing in Žoambo Žoet Workestrao, Lolita, Uršula Ramoveš in Fantje z Jazbecove grape, Čompe, Alzheimer3, Bratko Bibič & The Madleys and a number of other bands and projects. The third member, Dejan Lapanja, also worked with a number of artist and in the last decade appeared on records by Laibach, N'toko, Projekt mesto, Salamandra Salamandra, Klemen Teran in 19. November, Olivija, Bast etc. In 2011, his debut album Ni časa za preroke [No time for prophets] was released.

Though occasionally appearing on the same stage before, all three musicians first started to collaborate in Vasko's band Mljask [Yum], mixing ethno rock, klezmer and balkan polka with jazz improvisation and even chanson songs. The heritage of this project comprises a notable part of what the trio is currently doing.

Vasko Atanasovski & Mljask v NLP by Vasko Atanasovski on YouTube

A 2011 performance by Mljask in the RTV Slovenia show called NLP.

External links

Vasko Atanasovski Trio

Band's background

External links

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