RATKO ZJACA
Contemporary Guitarist - Performer - Composer - Recording Artist - Educator
Ratko Zjaca - Simone Zanchini Collective
This group have unique musical vision that absorbs and reflects all manner of music while retaining an enviable individualism and high quality craftsmanship that can span from quiet intimacy to searing intensity. Diverse musical backgrounds, which include jazz, modern classical, world music, and free improvisation. They have been working on original compositions as well as crafting beautiful and haunting improvisations. Their music blurs the boundaries between notated music and free improvisation; the unique sonic landscapes that result are grounded in history, while pushing at the boundaries of modern improvised music.
Simone Zanchini
Considered one of the most interesting and innovative accordion’s player in Europe. Simone Zanchini’s musical research pass through the borders of contemporary music, acoustic and electronics sound experiment, and more other contaminations mixed together. The result is a very special and personal approach with the material of improvisation Eclectic artist, performing an intensive concert schedule with groups of various musical styles including improvisation, contemporary jazz, and classical music.
He has performed in numerous Italian festivals: Clusone Jazz, Umbria Jazz, Tivoli Jazz, Berchidda Jazz, Sant’Anna Arresi, Barga Jazz, Mara Jazz, Vignola Jazz, Ravenna Festival, Rossini opera Festival , Teggiano Jazz... and in many important international festivals in France, Austria, Germany, England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Spain, England, Tunisia, Lebanon, India, Russian and Japan. Simone has collaborated with many musicians of international fame: Thomas Clausen, Gianluigi Trovesi, Javier Girotto, Paolo Fresu, Marco Tamburini, Massimo Manzi, Bruno Tommaso, Ettore Fioravanti, Mario Marzi, Michele Rabbia, Giovanni Maier,Tamara Obrovac, Krunoslav Levacic, Vasko Atanasovski, Antonello Salis, Han Bennink, Art Van Damme. He is regularly performing with many groups of different kind of music. Since 1999 Simone is accordion player in the “Ensemble Strumentale Scaligero” of the Theatre LA SCALA in Milano, with this group he make tournče everywhere in the world. Recently he recorded two new CDs called: From Art to Marocco and Better Alone. With From Art to Marocco Jazz Quintet, Simone revisit, in personal style, two of the most important living accordion player: Art Van Damme and Frank Marocco, respecting always that characteristic sound created using accordion and vibrafhone together...and following a kind of jazz-language usually not much played with this instrument above all in Europe. Better Alone is a solo-project in which he experiences the sonority possibilities of his instrument through the use of a particular midi accordion live-electronic and laptop.
Currently he has in preparation a new projects which include his passion for contemporary music: Simone Zanchini Quartet: Entropia (D. Caliri, G. Maier, M. Rabbia) for only original compositions.
Ratko Zjaca
Ratko Zjaca is considered a very gifted stylist, assumes many roles in his macrocosm of music: contemporary guitarist, composer, performer and educator. His unique musical vision absorbs and reflects all manner of music while retaining an enviable individualism and high quality craftsmanship that can span from quiet intimacy to searing intensity. Diverse musical backgrounds, which include jazz, world music, and free improvisation. He has been working on original compositions as well as crafting beautiful and haunting improvisations. He invented a unique style that is fearless, ambitious and volatile. He studied and graduated from Zagreb University. In his drive for the necessary knowledge and the enormous need for studies he sought his refuge in The Netherlands at the Rotterdam Conservatory. There he could get teachings by well-known masters. He also followed masterclasses and personal courses with Joe Pass, Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, Bob Brookmayer, John Abercrombie, Mick Goodrick, Hariprasad Chaurasia and others.
Unlike some of his colleagues Ratko is not focusing only on saxophone phraseologies, but is continuously expanding the guitar's vocabulary within today's world of music. Whilst improving his performance to create his typical own sound and style, Ratko as a gifted teacher with a loaded teaching schedule, is capable of transposing most advanced phrases and concepts into structures, suitable for every musician. He gives master classes all around the world for guitar and fretless guitar, in countries like Slovenia, the Netherlands, France, Croatia and the United States.
After completing his study at the Rotterdam Conservatory where he studied jazz guitar, composition and Indian classical music, he also studied at New York University School of Music. He started to work with own group and with American trumpet veteran Benny Bailey group. Ratko participated at many international festivals and has been booked for the major club dates at the European and American scene. Ratko has constantly made major efforts to enrich his experience with appearances and recordings. He was also performing and recording with Benny Bailey, Gary Peacock, Reggie Workman, John Patitucci, Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Steve Gadd, Alvin Queen, Ron Carter, Randy Brecker, Miroslav Vitous, Jeff Tain Watts, Adam Nussbaum, Kirk Lightsey, Shawnn Monteiro, Denise Jannah etc.
In April 2000 Ratko recorded "A Day in Manhattan" in New York with members of John Coltrane and Miles Davis rhythm section, Reggie Workman and Al Foster.
Ratko is currently composing music and working on a new world music project on which he plays baritone, sitar, fretless, soprano, electric and acoustic guitars - this will be the second part of his previous record Shades of Spirit, Fretless Guitar Project.
Ratko started a new quartet with the legendary bass player and composer Miroslav Vitous.
Ratko released a quartet recording, Crossing The Border, in New York City with John Patitucci, Al Foster and Stan Mitrovic, with all original compisitions of all members of the quartet.
Ratko just recorded a new record, Continental Talk, with John Patitucci, Steve Gadd, Randy Brecker and Stan Mitrovic.
Ratko endorses Mirabella Guitars.
Ratko endorses Godin Guitars.
Ratko uses CP-1A pickups for acoustic guitar from Carlos Juan.
Johnny Tevreden
Johnny Tevreden was born in Surinam. He studied at the Hilversum Conservatory and performed with the Quartet and Big band of Billy Brooks. In 1998 he performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival with 'Boi Akih'. Besides playing double bass in the 'Ratko Zjaca quartet', Johnny is an excellent bass guitar player. Recently he also started studying Tabla, which developed his bass playing in rhythmic originality. As a freelance bass player Johnny accompanied too many artists to mention all, but to name a few: Randy Brecker, Deborah Carter - Singer, Robert Rook - Piano, Charles Green - Trumpet, Michiel Borstlap - Piano, Saskia Laroo - Trumpet, Denise Jannah - Singer, Gijs Hendriks - Reeds, Elisabeth Cutler - Guitar and Nippy Noya - Percussion.
Ratko Divjak
For last 35 years taking part of European and American jazz scene (California jazz fest., Los Angeles, Monterey, Sacramento, Montreux, Berlin, Bologna). Performed with the most significant jazz artists like Bosko Petrovic, Dusko Goykovich, Stjepko Gut, Petar Ugrin, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, N.H.Oe. Pedersen, Albert Mengelsdorf, Tony Coy, Gary Burton, Sal Nistico, Ferdinand Powel, Gianni Basso, Richard Davis, Joe Pass, Dave Liebman etc. Played for three times in the EBU Big Band. Since 1975 member of Big Band RTV Slovenia. Discography: more than 30 jazz CDs and LPs.