Progressive Jazz from Balkan: NIKOLOV-IVANOVIC UNDECTET "Frame and Curiosity"

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Dear Friends in Music
After introducing to the world two extraordinary Serbian maestros, Barcelona (Spain) based guitarist extraordinaire Dusan Jevtovic, and Belgrade (Serbia) based piano and keyboard virtuoso Vasil Hadzimanov, MoonJune is introducing to the world more talents from Leonardo Pavkovic' homeland, countries that once upon a time were part of the former Yugoslavia. Vladimir Nikolov, born in Macedonia, and Srdjan Ivanovic, borm in Bosnia are a pair of talented musicians and their music must be heard. And I invite You to check this wonderful album of Nikolov-Ivanovic Undectet "Frames And Curiosity".

The NIKOLOV-IVANOVIC UNDECTET is:
VLADIMIR NIKOLOV (piano, compositions, arrangements)
SRDJAN IVANOVIC (drums, compositions)
LUKA IGNJATOVIC (alto sax)
KRISTIJAN MLACAK (tenor sax)
DJORDJE KUJUNDZIC (baritone sax)
MARKO DJORDJEVIC (trumpet, flugelhorn)
TEODOR BLAGOJEVIC (French horn)
VLADIMIR VERES (trombone)
MILOS BUDIMIROV (tuba)
MIHAIL IVANOV (bass)
NOE CLERC (accordion)
and special guest MAGIC MALIK (flute).

The Nikolov-Ivanovic Undectet feat. Magic Malik is a large ensemble with an eclectic instrumentation. This eleven-piece band led by pianist and arranger Vladimir Nikolov and drummer Srdjan Ivanovic fuses tradition and out-of-the-box thinking to produce sophisticated Balkan influenced music that challenges the lis- tener on an emotional and intellectual level.

Featuring some of the best inter-generation musicians from Serbia and France the band is presenting their new album Frame and Curiosity. They were joined on the album by the flutist Malik Mezzadri, known as Magic Malik and upon realising the musical fit of Malik's playing and sound with the Undectet, he became an important factor in the new album's sound.

"Groundbreaking...subtle touches of color and texture in his charts reminiscent of Gil Evans and Maria Schneider. Like them, Nikolov is inspired by the stirring sonorities of French horn, tuba, and accordion. But he blends Balkan metrical and tonal elements into his mix, and they introduce their own exotic aura. This project should claim a place among the most creative current large jazz ensembles in Europe." - JAZZ TIMES (USA)

"...a pan-European group of improvising musicians in 10 rhythmically complex, harmonically evocative compo- sitions, all impeccably arranged. In these, they might reference Balkan tunes, rock, hip-hop, classical music or traditional jazz – without settling on any one thing." - DOWNBEAT (USA)

"Beautifully balanced pieces and adventurous arrangements bring this richly varied music that brings the listener to a highly elevated state." - JAZZFLITS (Netherlands)

Released in France on Coolabel. Marketed by MoonJune Records.

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