Drummer Marko Djordjevic teaches at Berkeley, lives in New York and is one of the best jazz musicians in the world (PHOTO)

There are great, young, talented jazz musicians in Serbia compared to the time when Vasil and I started in the mid-1990s, but also fewer places where they could show their skills and talent, our most important drummer Marko Djordjevic said to Tanjug, who with Vasil Hadzimanov and Branko Trijic makes the Trio Sveti, whose concert is scheduled for tonight at Bitef Art Cafe on Kalemegdan. 

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Djordjevic was born in Belgrade but has been living in New York for years.

He works as a guest lecturer at Boston, Berkeley, the most famous music college in the world, where, among others, jazz music is learned.

He is a member of "Drummers Collective" and leads post-bop - fusion band "Sveti".

He was recently included in the book The New Face Of Jazz, which has the theme of the most significant jazz musicians of our time.

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

He is known as the most appreciated Serbian drummer and he performs every year at several concerts in Serbia within the Trio Sveti group with friends Vasil Hadzimanov and Branko Trijic.

Before tonight's concert at Belgrade's Kalemegdan, Trio Sveti performed in Leskovac.

Djordjevic emphasizes that the provincial audience knows very well what good music is. 

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

- Our music abounds with improvisations, and improvisation is actually a spontaneous composition. People react to our aspiration to make something beautiful on the scene at this authentic moment. It is nice for us and for the audience. We played before the full hall of the Leskovac Theater a few days ago. People in the province are eager for a good music program and they respond greatly when they hear something good and different - says Djordjevic.

For tonight's performance Trio Sveti prepared for some surprises for the audience. 

- A great young bass player Petar Krstajic will play half of the concert with us. We also intend to present three young and highly talented saxophonists and one trumpeter. Each of them will pay something with us. All of these musicians are from Belgrade, so it is feasible to present them as young Serbian jazz hopes at tonight's concert.

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

According to him, there is no particular ambiance for jazz music in Serbia, although there are very talented young musicians present on the scene.

- There are great, young, talented jazz musicians in Serbia compared to the time when Vasil and I started in the mid-1990s, but also fewer places where they could show their skills and talent. Andrija Gavrilovic, Ognjen Gotovcevic, Rastko Obradovic, Luka Ignjatovic, are all young formed musicians. The selection of a place where a good Jazz could be played in Belgrade and Serbia is narrowed down and it thus narrows the possibility for them to show what they know. Perhaps the Bitef Art Cafe is one of the few spaces that is open for free music directions - said Djordjevic.

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

He notes that the legal gig in the club in New York is virtually impossible.

- The laws are such that people are driven to play in clubs in different ways. Not everything is "clean", as you might say - says Djordjevic.

Our esteemed drummer works on several platforms in New York.

- First of all, I participate in several music projects. My band "Sveti" continues to function. I believe we will record the fifth album in the autumn. I have a band "Take off collective" with Norwegian Ole Matisone. I create challenging music with them, which is pure improvisation without composition. We compile on site. I also play Justin Malens band who is playing the French horn. I'm in Boston on Mondays and Tuesdays, where I teach at Berkeley ... - says Djordjevic.

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

The top artist advises younger colleagues on how to become a musician and how to survive on stage:

- Love is the most important thing for the moment in which one becomes a musician. Love for music and faith in oneself. As far as survival is concerned, the paradigm is constantly changing. The economy is always different. It is important for musicians to decide to live only from playing. It makes them the most professional. Play, lectures, do transcripts. I do not dare to think that I will ever become rich - said Djordjevic.

His passion, apart from music, is running.

- I enjoy running 10 kilometers from Kosancic Venac, where my mother lives, to Banjica, where my wife's mother lives. It's a nice route for me. I will soon run the "Marathon of childhood" around the locations in Belgrade where my family lived in the past years - said Djordjevic.

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)