Home » Jazz Articles » Extended Analysis » Nenad Vasilic: Nenad Vasilic: Seven

6

Nenad Vasilic: Nenad Vasilic: Seven

By

Sign in to view read count
Nenad Vasilic: Nenad Vasilic: Seven
In the long, well-intended history of aligning the spontaneity of jazz with sounds, rhythms and harmonies of various folk musics, the predicament lies in finding the linkages between two disparate idioms without sacrificing mutual integrity. Bassist and composer Nenad Vasilić tackles this issue in a very distinct way as he successfully marries the festive folk sounds of his native Nish (southern Serbia) with the jazz music to which he has devoted his life.

A resident of Vienna, Vasilić is one of the new breed for whom this mixture seem to come as naturally as breathing and, ever since he founded his own band in 1998, he has striven to mix straight-ahead jazz with the sinuous melodies of Serbian folk music. As a native of the south, Vasilić's harmonic tapestries and melodies seem to reflect the rugged geography and playful folk music for which his region is famous. He is ambitious as a player, bandleader, writer, and arranger—the whole nine yards.

Making these elements work together would be accomplishment enough, but what elevates Seven is the amount of variety that Vasilić introduces into this fairly tightly defined hybrid form. His writing is clever, darting between whirling unison lines and folksy melodies, and leaving plenty of space for the players to open up. The opening "Budjenje" is a joyful and exhilarating tour-de-force of soulful twirling gypsy melodies,whose festive character and sinuous, playful lines are then transferred onto the second track, "Juzna." "Juzna" has an uplifting character played in mid-tempo, and it's here and on the following "Janina" where the balance between jazz and folk is disrupted in favor of the latter. "Janina" and "Za Grofa" are gentle ballads with heart rending gypsy harmonies, where saxophonist Vladimir Karparov excels by weaving memorable lines full of the melancholic yearning that is so typical for this music.

All but the "A Be Da Be Medley" are compositions written and arranged by Vasilić. "A Be Da Be" is an amalgamation of two traditional songs, "Nishka Banja" and "Udavija Se." It is an upbeat tune whose snaking melodies give it a typically festive wedding song character. Joining him on this endeavor, among others, is composer and pianist Bojan Zulfikarpašić (aka Bojan Z), someone well-versed in fusing music from his native Balkan into his own brilliant compositions. He can also be heard on tracks such as "Mr. A.B.," and "Intro for Saban," a beautiful homage to singer Saban Bajramovic, one of the great gypsy singers—a legend in his own lifetime and also a Nish native. He does a wonderful job layering his Fender Rhodes, and displays lyrical generosity and clarity throughout. And while the horns give lots of color to these nine songs, it is the accordion that steals the show on the closing "No Problem," with its sinuous melodies and playful character. The music gently sways and pulses as accordionist Marko Zivadinovic swirls and twirls on his instrument.

There is a strong emotional content that is woven deeply into the performances—not coming in strings of solos, but as fluid knots and melodic ornaments. What is most obvious through all of this is how assured Vasilić sounds—completely in control of both his own instrument and this absorbing new blend of traditions he has created.

Track Listing

Buđenje, Južna, Janina, Day By Day, Za grofa, A be da be (Medley), Mr.A.B., Intro For Shaban, No Problem Song.

Personnel

Nenad Vasilic
bass, acoustic

Vladimir Karparov: saxophone; Marko Živadinović: accordion; Mario Vavti: trombone; Philipp Kopmajer: drums; ; Nenad Vasilić: double bass; Thomas Mauerhofer: sounds on intro (3); Bojan Z: Fender Rhodes (7, 8).

Album information

Title: Nenad Vasilic: Seven | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Galileo Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.