Real Cities are New York and Ptuj

The jazz group Samo Salamon Quartet will release the album Two Hours, probably this year with the label Fresh Sound, which is among the most important labels for modern jazz

Samo Salamon is from year to year a more convincing jazz virtuoso. His musical career began in local lineups, where he played guitar. He was interested in rock and etno, while he was always thinking about jazz. Now he is an accomplished and recognized jazz guitarist. He played on the Ljubljana Jazz Festival, with great european and american musicians he recorded two albums, the first guaranteed him an existence on the jazz scene, while the second one is opening doors to world class jazz. Samo Salamon is meanwhile finishing his M.A. about American poetry and translation on Filozofska Fakulteta in Ljubljana.

You came back from New York. Did you seek contacts with musicians or writers in the USA? You are namely writing an M.A. work about american literature.
I went mostly because of music, I recorded there two albums which will be released in Europe. The first project was recorded last november, it is called Samo Salamon Quartet: Two Hours and will be probably released this year with the Spanish label Fresh Sound, which is one of the most important labels in Europe for modern jazz. Participating in this project are some of the best musicians in the world in creative jazz, tenor saxophone player Tony Malaby, bassist Mark Helias and drummer Tom Rainey. The second project is called Samo Salamon NYC Quintet: Government Cheese and it features great players like saxophonist Dave Binney (Martin Medeski and Wood, John Zorn, Jamiroquai, Jim Hall), trombone player Josh Roseman (Dave Holland, The Roots), bassist Drew Gress and drummer Gerald Cleaver.
Although in New York I also couldn't pass by the Public Library, where I did my M.A. research on American poetry and translation the whole november.

After the release of Ornethology two years ago you performed with a new jazz group and recorded with it the new album Ela's Dream. What does it bring? Who plays on it? How did you contact the famous Italian label?
The new album was released by the biggest Italian jazz label with which my friend and drummer Zlatko Kaucic contacted. Beside Zlatko the album features really great players, I am very happy that I was able to cooperate and play with them; trumpet is played by Kyle Gregory, alto saxophone and bass clarinet by Achille Succi, who also recorded with me my previous album Ornethology. A special guest of the tour was alto saxophone player Dave Binney from New York, while the rhythm sections are Zlatko on drums and the best Italian bass player and of the best in Europe, Paolino Dalla Porta. The music was recorded last year, it is kind of a modern jazz and it's a result of a 10-day tour last april.

The critics about your music are excellent.
Yeah. Until now I got really great critics for Ornethology and the new album Ela's Dream. The critics, musicians and listeners like my music, which makes me really happy, however good critics don't mean anything because I still have to survive somehow with jazz.

Beside jazz and jazz guitar you are also interested in American literature?
I'm interested in really many things in my life, maybe even too many. I'm split between music and mainly american poetry (O'Hara, Hughes, Harper, Stevens, Frost, Williams, Berryman, Bukowski). "Guilty" for my interest for literature are really two great Canadian professors of mine, Michelle Gadpaille and Victor Kennedy. Literature is like a counter-attack to music, it is a new inspiration of ideas, visual into auditive.

How do you see the contemporary jazz trends? What playing and style are in the interest of the public?
I think that even jazz has lately become comercialized, at least as far as bigger labels are concerned since they demand even from the biggest jazz musicians in the world that they record more commercial projects. An example is my friend and the greatest guitarist in jazz, John Scofield who is with Verve. Otherwise there are really many new styles and musicians in jazz, they are releasing their albums by themselves or with smaller labels. Each instrument has in jazz many styles, in the world of guitar there are some great new lunatics like Ben Monder, Adam Rogers, Kurt Rosenwinkel and others. In New York there is a nuthouse concerning new jazz. It virtually washed my brains, destroyed the remains of my ego and gave me additional motivation that I practice even more.

You wrote so far lots of music. Is there anything new waiting?
Yeah, it is in progress. I write music as a reflection of life, like in all arts. I get an impulse, be it sadness, new love, disappointment, then I turn this into music. Currently I'm writing music for two to three new projects, which I would like to record this year if the finances allow it. The first one is an Italian quartet with Achille Succi, Paolino Dalla Porta and Roberto Dani, while the second one is set in a more complex way, at least as far as the lineup is concerned: cello player Ernst Reijseger, saxophonist Tobias Delius, tuba player Per Ake Holmlander and drummer Zlatko Kaucic. Otherwise I'd also like to record a new album in New York next year, maybe with Dave Binney, Drew Gress, Eric Harland and hopefully Chris Potter. The ideas are not missing, but the money is.

How does the jazz scene in Maribor look like?
I don't know if it exists at all since Maribor does not have a jam session or similar events, where musicians could play and evolve. I think there is a bigger scene on Ptuj where I teach jazz and guitar, the result are many new talents which makes me really happy. For these things one just needs enough patience and will. I hope they'll come to Maribor. But it is also all connected to money.

SLOVENIA TIMES (Gregor Bauman, October 2003):

Leader of New Jazz Generation

Finally it happened! Despite a host of jazz celebrities at this year’s Ljubljana jazz festival - such as Jan Garbarek, Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Ron Carter - the most promising gig was by a Slovene-Italian Quartet led by young Slovene guitarist, Samo Šalamon. This is his fascinating and emotional story. He’s a believer! And in his own words he lives for his music, for his guitar and jazz. That’s the basic first step to success, even if this is an ‘odd’ notion for jazz music.

Why did you decide to become a jazz musician in a country where jazz struggles to find a place among mass popular culture?
Well, it’s a challenge and I like it. That’s the most important thing. It doesn’t matter what the masses listen to or play, it’s important what you want to do and to play. And in my case that’s jazz.

In your opinion, can we talk about a new, young jazz generation in Slovenia today?
In a way, yes, but at the same time no. There are many players that belong to my generation, there is the bassist Juki?, a little bit older are the saxophone players Lumpert and Pukl and many other guys who play mostly straight ahead jazz and bebop, which is also good, but I just want to be as creative as possible in finding new ways of playing and composing. Their performances are great, but as far as their composing is concerned, it doesn’t really take any chances.

What’s your opinion of the domestic jazz scene and the number of concerts there are? Is it possible to survive as a jazz musician only?
The domestic jazz scene is bad. When I start a project we can usually have up to a maximum of 10 concerts in Slovenia, if we are lucky. People are just not interested that much in jazz, so the club owners don’t organize jazz concerts, although there are of course some minor exceptions. As far as playing music for a living, it is tough. If you play in pop and rock bands and work as a studio musician it can work, but if you only want to be creative, and only want to play jazz, it is virtually impossible. I have to teach guitar to make a living, but as far as playing music is concerned I just want to do stuff that is creative and interesting to me. That’s what I want.

As most young guitar players have done, I assume that you once sighed over Pat Metheny’s music? And did you discover Ornette Coleman as a result of listening to his record, ‘Song X’?
Oh, yeah. He was basically the transition in my listening from blues to jazz. The first jazz album I heard was ‘The Road To You’ by the Pat Metheny Group, from 1992, which is an amazing live recording! I then started to collect records by Metheny, Scofield and similar players. I also bought, by accident, the CD ‘Song X’, which I thought in the beginning was terrible, because I just didn’t understand the concepts behind it, I didn’t know who Ornette Coleman was, and I just wasn’t ready back then. Now, I think that’s the best record by Metheny. But I didn’t meet Ornette through this record, but through the drummer Zlatko Kaucic, who made me aware of this guy and these concepts, although at that time I also wasn’t ready. I basically discovered Ornette’s concepts by myself, although I knew about him before.

To understand musical concepts by Ornette Coleman is a hard job. How did you clash with them?
Well, my friend David Braun gave me the record set (6 CDs) by Ornette Coleman ‘Beauty Is a Rare Thing, The Complete Atlantic Recording’ with the legendary quartet of Don Cherry, Charlie Haden (or Scott LaFaro) and Billy Higgins (or Ed Blackwell). I just transcribed all the themes from the CDs, and right now I’m still doing it, namely transcribing Ornette’s solos from the CDs, since he is amazing! He is probably one of the most melodic players around, a huge player and musician. Then I studied the themes and the concepts behind it, how he developed the themes and similar things. I used these concepts with some ideas of mine, and some new harmonic approaches in my own tunes.

I can’t overlook the fact, that ‘liner notes’, which follows your last record ‘Ornethology’ is written in English. Do you think that our market is too small and undereducated that you have to break through abroad?
Yes, I don’t think that the Slovenian market is the right place for music like that. I’m aiming abroad, which is really hard since I don’t have a manager, so I have to do everything by myself, organizing concerts, festivals, calling the players and the organizers, sending promotional material and CDs, everything at my own cost. But I hope someday it will pay off! For the latest CD ‘Ornethology’ (Šamo Šalamon Quartet) it paid off. The CD got fantastic reviews from everywhere -- abroad (Germany – Jazz Dimensions, USA – JazzReview, AllAboutJazz, Austria – Jazzlive…) as well as in Slovenia.

You also co-operate with our finest percussionist Zlatko Kaucic. How did the two of you get together?
I met him in February 2001 when he had a workshop in Maribor. I was just one of the players then, I wasn’t ready for anything advanced and even wasn’t ready to accept what he was trying to teach. For the project ‘Ornethology’ I remembered that back then he mentioned to me the name Ornette Coleman, so I just thought I would give him a call about the project. I called him up, he was really nice, he said that he would do it and since then we have been really good friends. He is a fantastic drummer and composer deserving wider recognition and an even greater person. At every a concert with him I learn so much musically and also on a personal level. He is really sincere and has taught me to be what you are and to play what you want to play. I really admire him!

How did it feel to be a part of this year’s Ljubljana jazz festival edition?
It was great. I played before at some minor festivals, but this was the first major festival for me and I think we really kicked ass at it, we played great and I’m really happy about it, we also got great reviews about the concert. I hope to play at it in the future with some other projects and from here to continue to some other major festivals. We also played in October at the Skopje Jazz Festival and in December we play at the Roma Jazz Fest, so things are developing, slowly but surely.

One of the most interesting stories -- one that seems almost like a fairytale -- is the true story of your acquaintance and then co-operation with John Scofield. Can you share it with us?
Yeah, it is an amazing story. In 1997 as a fan of John (Scofield) I made an Internet fan site for him, which was basically the first John Scofield site on the Internet. Through that John and his wife Susan contacted me and I met him for the first time in 1997 or 1998 in Italy, it was fantastic. Ever since then when he is around we meet, I see his concerts (he puts me on the guest list), then we have dinner, exchange compact discs and talk about music and stuff. It is really a dream. He is also one of the most amazing people I have met in my life, and besides that he is brilliant guitarist, for me the best jazz guitar player in the world. He also invited me to visit him, so in December 2000 I visited him and stayed in his house for one month. I had daily lessons with him, he explained stuff to me, we played together, and it was great. I’m still digesting the stuff he explained to me back then. I love this guy!

What are your plans for the future? Have you received any invitations for gigs or festivals outside Slovenia?
Well, there are many ideas, it all depends also on money, since I do everything by myself, but I hope that maybe I will get a manager in the future . That would be great. As far as projects are concerned, I plan to do quite a lot of stuff: one project is with Tarus Mateen on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums, which will hopefully be recorded in New York next year sometime - if everything goes to plan. These two guys are probably one of the best rhythm sections in the world (the rhythm section for Greg Osby and Jason Moran). The next project is scheduled for April 2004, a concert in Ljubljana with great players like Chris Speed on reeds, Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Zlatko Kaucic on drums and Paulinho Dalla Porta on bass, which will hopefully also be recorded, if all the guys show up and if they will be free. For autumn 2004 I am planning to do a project with Kenny Wheeler and some other stuff. We will see, everything depends on money, so I can’t say anything for certain. There are ideas and compositions, we’ll see…Yeah, and I hope that there will also be some more festivals abroad next year.

ALLABOUTJAZZ - Ornette's Slovenian Hands (Javier Quinones, October 2003, USA):
Brandishing an Ibañez AF-200 guitar, which he describes as “a similar model as the AS-200, which John Scofield uses, but with a thicker body,” Samo Šalamon stirs up freeing jazz from Slovenia. 

As one of the most notable emerging careers from that centrally located European country, youthful daring unmasks someone who can play as beautifully and exotic as the flowers of the Kamnik leek, darkened as Hrastovlje’s Danse Macabre fresco, or as picturesque and open as Maribor’s Main Square. Engaging explorations into “ethno jazz” with the Ansasa Trio, or his take on Ornette Coleman in Ornethology, aren’t going to drive audiences in throngs to the Cankarjev dom because, as he puts it, “the jazz situation in Slovenia is not great. The music I make, as well as that of my drummer and mentor Zlatko Kaucic, is too advanced for Slovenians. I don't think the majority is ready. Although I got fantastic national and international reviews, the labels sign mainstream jazz players and easy listening music that is not exciting and moving. In addition, there aren't many musicians that play such style of music in Slovenia. As luck would have it, I have played with guys from Italy who are more advanced.” Šalamon adds that aside from the jazz scene, in Slovenia “music life is not really shiny.” Thus, he has to teach guitar to survive. “You can live off music if you sell out,” the Scofield admirer adds, “if you work with pop bands and stuff like that, but I don't want to do that. I want to play music that I like and not to sell out. I think by being honest and sincere one can still make it. That, at least is what I hope.” 

Ornethology is the result of his Coleman inspired studies and the Slovenian’s tale of discovery reveals the usual pattern of viral dissemination among musicians so thoroughly enhanced –as well as threatened– by today’s technological advances. Šalamon discovered Coleman at 21 “when Zlatko Kaucic, the drummer in the quartet, who played with Steve Lacy for years, introduced me to Ornette, but I wasn't ready then. It was too heavy. Then, last year I got the Complete Atlantic Recordings, which really knocked me out. I transcribed all the themes and some Ornette solos as I'm still transcribing them. This music changed jazz. How true the title The Shape of Jazz to Come is. I really like Ornette's themes, especially his phrasing, which I try to transfer to guitar. The title of the recording, Ornethology, or the scientific study of Ornette Coleman if you may, is a dedication to Ornette's music. Some of his concepts from 40 years ago were used, but integrated with my own ideas and other influences. I think something new was created nonetheless.” 

Furthermore, for the Slovenian, Coleman “is the most melodic player in the history of jazz. I really like his classic quartet. I also like the later trios with Izenson and Moffett and the quartet with Dewey Redman. As for harmolodics, is seen also in this quartet. In it, however, I am the composer of all tunes and its leader, yet I do not have the primary function. We all are on the same level where equality of all instruments is important. That gives us the possibilities of the interplay and higher communication.” 

“Ornethology, or the scientific study of Ornette Coleman... Some of his concepts from 40 years ago were used, but integrated with my own ideas and other influences. I think something new was created nonetheless.” 

In talking about the production itself, as well as the musicians, Šalamon is stereotypically self-critical, albeit effusive in his praises too. “The production of the album could be a lot better, but the personnel here in Slovenia is not used to this kind of music, so it is how it is. I think the most important thing is that the music is great, because then you forget about other factors. The musicians on this project, however, were fantastic. I called up drummer Kaucic, a musical role model, fantastic person, favorite musician of mine, excellent composer and performer, who played with figures ranging from Kenny Wheeler, or Steve Lacy, to Paolo Fresu. Then on the bass is one of the best Italian players Salvatore Maiore, featuring great sound and abilities. It was the right choice. What proved most surprising was the chemistry with the alto sax and bass clarinet player Achille Succi, whose playing I really love. He is one of the most melodic players I have heard and had the ability to play with. We developed a great –almost telepathical– understanding. That’s nice! I think we got the chemistry going in the spirit of Ornette and I hope more people will be able to witness this.” 

On occasion, however, the quartet performs with trombonist Gianluca Petrella. “I think the music gets a different character, since trombone is a different instrument with different abilities. Although I have to say that I prefer the bass clarinet and alto sax combination since it is more versatile, at least with these tunes, which were written for these two instruments. Although it will be interesting to see and to hear this material performed by other players. In the future, we will play with the trumpet player Kyle Gregory and later in 2004 with Ralph Alessi and Chris Speed. It will be exciting to hear some stuff with some new tunes also.” 

Under such social, cultural and musical conditions, I wondered how the audiences react to the quartet’s performances. “The audience,” according to the guitarist, “like the energy of the band. Kaucic is one of the more interesting drummers I've heard. He has his own way of playing. One can really see his experiences with Lacy, Archie Shepp or Wheeler; so the audience really senses that and he attracts many people. It depends where we play, on the festivals that are used to this more avant-garde music, the reactions are great, while in some places this music sounds too heavy. I hope, nonetheless, that we will be able to wake people to see that one can be really creative. All I want to do is to play my own music and maybe present it to a larger audience because it is really interesting. Of course, at this moment it is very hard, since I do everything by myself. It is tough, but I'm working hard.” 

His guitar is equipped with D'addario strings, Chrome 0.11. He aspires to be sponsored, at least by D'addario as “it's really hard to get them here in Slovenia. Some times I play for a couple of months with the same strings, which worsens the sound. I should change them every two weeks or so, but as I said it is hard to get them and they are quite expensive here.” He also features a set up including “a Fender Concert amp, which is similar to a Twin Reverb, but I think that it has a nicer, fuller and thicker sound. I love it! As far as the effects are concerned, I'm not really such a freak. I use mainly some chorus, really changed with the frequencies, some distortion, but not much. I use that from my multi effect Boss GT-5!” 

MUSKA - Universal guitarist (David Braun, August 2003):

The graduated professor of English and German Samo Salamon, who is currently more than anyone else firmly on the tracks of a musical career, is at the moment at the crossroads: his album Ornethology, which was presented on the jazz festival in Ljubljana and in Jazz Club Satchmo in Maribor, is still fresh.

He says that he plays at least 50 concerts each year with totally different groups: playing in the reggae group Siti Hlapci, Ansasa Trio, which is a perfect blend of etno music from all over the world, and the modern and the latest jazz quartet Ornethology. Samo Salamon was (partly also from financial reasons) forced to work in conceptually different settings, but always also due to his curiosity and wishes to reach new musical heights. Meanwhile the characteristics of his music have also crystallized, which also gives a special character to his music. Salamon is in this way a type of a modern musician, his thinking world incorporates all positive guidelines: he thinks eclectically and plays without burdain the music with his individual character, while working more and more internationally and in a integrative way. In a small country as Slovenia with a relatively small musical culture this is probably the only way how to stand in between two biggest poles: between academic musical culture and commercial pop music. These in between waters are where Salamon's ship currently also is, ahead of him is a long and rich journey, where he will develop and reshape his already distinctive guitar style - if he will only get some attention.
After elementary and secondary music school, where he was learning classical guitar, he began to learn in Trieste with the italian guitarist Andrea Allione, the famous italian jazz guitarist and professor on the jazz conservatorium in Trieste, introduced to Samo by the pioneer of modern drumming in Slovenia, Zlatko Kaucic. Salamon has briefly also studied on the jazz conservatorioum in Klagenfurt, but he had to drop the studies due to financial situation, therefore he began to study music totally by himslef and through private lessons. "I have also found out that I wouldn't have learned on the school, what I was interested in," says Salamon. Samo is this way one of the musicians, whom Zlatko Kaucic helped and sent to the right track, also by showing how to break musical barriers.
In the year 1995, as a big fan of John Scofield, he made the first web page of this American guitarist, which also helped him to get into contact with him. About a year later the young guitarist and the experienced guitarist had met on a concert in Italy, after that Salamon held regular correspondence with Scofield and followed him on all concert in the vicinity. Scofield, who was interested in the development of Samo, being also aware of the circumstances and limitations in Slovenia, invited Samo to his house in New York, where he stayed for weeks to live and learn with the great guitarist. Practicing daily for 8 hours and numerous jam sessions in New York left visible consequences on Samo. "Three weeks with Scofield are more than 4 years on the academy in Graz," says Salamon full of enthusiasm and will to work.

How come that you are interested in jazz?
I never knew how to play rock music really good, which is usually a beginning for the majority of slovenian guitarists. My beginning were in classical blues repertoar, which led me soon to jazz, over Metheny, Scofield, Hall and Montgomery. Beside that I have also followed the modern production, from Bill Frisell to the actual musicians.

What can you tell us about your first album, A Dream Come True?
From the current point of view I think it was released to early -  it was an interesting experience, but I wasn't not yet ready for an album. It's a shame for the money and the hard work, but I take it as a first step at work. As a first serious album I take the album Ornethology, which was just recently released.

What has happened to you in the short time between both albums?
A lot: I met the music of Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, Sam Rivers, also John Zorn and Bill Frisell. In this I found my sound world, which doesn't depend only on playing over changes, which most Slovenian musicians do. These were my beginnings - I am convinced that things will develop a lot further. In the year 2000 I haven't even heard of Ornette Coleman, I wasn't ready yet. I didn't hear any melody on the record Song X, where my role model from back then played, Pat Metheny. Nowadays I see this record totally differently: this is Metheny's best album and it would be hard to find a more melodical album. I have spent the last three years transcribing melodies, solos, themes and rhythms of the mentioned musicians (and many others). I wanted to know how the music works, how is it made and why.

How come you started writing your own music beside all this transcribing?
Why should I want to play someone else's music. I think it's natural that a musician writes his own music.

In what a way does a slovenian musician feel the tradition of afroamerican jazz?
Although in a totally different outfit, I think that the improvisation has its roots also in the tradition of European music, not only American. The same as you can find blues roots in Ornette Coleman, you can find the roots of many European jazz musicians in the history of European (classical) music. It is actually now that I realize my affection to Ornette Coleman's music, namely through my own experience with blues, what we talked about before. Maybe here lies the key.

How was the quartet, with whom you recorded Ornethology, formed?
First I wrote the music, I didn't even think about the instruments. Then I chose some slovenian (and also Yugoslavian) jazz musicians, who I respected and who belong to better instrumentalists in Europe. But unfortunately I found out that some of them haven't even heard much about Ornette Coleman (let them remain unnamed). That shocked me, so I asked for advice Zlatko Kaucic, who inspired me already in the year 2000. Zlatko suggested the musicians taht are in the quartet now: I sent them the music, themes recorded on the guitar and I contacted them. We first met in Maribor and played some concerts; and here I'd like to mention the support I got from these excellent and experienced musicians: without any disregard, looking down we conquered the challenge together. We studied the music, rehearsed for two days and played each evening concerts and recorded during the day. At the end were exhausted, but satisfied.

For the project he gave the financial support by himself, not knowing if it will pay back, beside some minor support of the sponsors and no support from the local authorities. This is the moment for Samo Salamon to send his first serious album to the international market, since the Slovenian one is too small for him and for his music. It shouldn't surprise us therefore that he chose the English language for the comments and the titles of his latest album. "I'm happy that I could play at this year's 44th jazz festival in Ljubljana, so on one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe, and also in Maribor as its side event. But I know that with such a band I can make onyl about 5 concerts yearly and no more, since the music is in between the scenes, which are already separated. There is a tour in preparation for the fall, at least in Austria, Croatia and Italy, and if lucky we will also go the jazz festival in Skopje." On the question how will he survive in the future, he says: "Probably with music, but I might also do what I studied if the music won't be enough to pay the bills."

VECER - Virtuosity from New York (Zdenko Kodric, June 2003):

Coltrane set him the limits, Scofield taught him how to play - Ljubljana Jazz festival is the high point of the domestic jazz scene

Samo Salamon studied classical guitar on the music school in Maribor, he studied English and German on the Pedagoska Fakulteta, while in March he graduated. Since he performed yesterday on the opening of the Ljubljana jazz festival, we wanted to know how did he get the invitation for the performance in Krizanke.

We can almost count the Slovenian jazz players who played on the Ljubljana jazz festival on the fingers of one hand. How did you make it?
Most of the players who performed lately on the festival were musicians from Ljubljana and RTV Big Band. With the band Ornethology Quartet I recorded an album in Maribor and my friend David Braun brought the organizer from Cankarjev dom to the concert, he liked the music, so he invited us to the festival. I was really happy for the invitation.

Describe your group Ornethology Quartet?
It is formed of three fantastic musician who are on the level of European jazz. On the drums is the most creative Slovenian jazz musician Zlatko Kaucic, who was very important for me as far as motivation is concerned, he was somekind of a mentor. Three years ago he tried to explain to me some heavier concepts of jazz, which I study nowadays and perform with the group Ornethology, but back then I wasn't ready, now I'm really thankful for that. He is a great person and an even better musician and I'm really happy and proud that I can play with him. On alto saxophone and bass clarinet is one of the best and most-after-sought reed players in Europe, Achille Succi, who player with everybody in jazz (Carla Bley, Steve Coleman, Kenny Wheeler, Ralph Alessi). The bass player is Salvatore Maiore from Bologna, who is also one of the best Italian bass players. He cooperated with everybody: from Kenny Wheeler to Nguyen Le and Paolo Fresu.

Once you said that John Coltrane brought you to jazz. Why a saxophone player and not a guitarist?
Coltrane is one of those personalities in jazz who defined jazz and brought it to a bigger level. When I first heard his legendary quartet I couldn't believe the level of communication and creativity of those musicians. Lately I'm again listening to saxophone players and not guitarists, although I went through the school of transcribing and listening to music of Wes Montgomery, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell in many other guitar players. I'm more interetsed in concepts of horn players like Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, John Zorn, Greg Osby, Dave Douglas, Steve Coleman and others. More than solos are interesting to me concepts of these great musicians.

What was the turning point for your entrance to jazz? You ended the secondary music school, were a Zois scholar, you graduated in March with honors in English and German on the university, travelled to the USA...
The key to my development in jazz is definitely my friendship with the greatest jazz guitarist of all times: I learned with John Scofield, who has most strongly influenced my music and my life. I am thankful for everything he gave me.

Aha! Scofield influenced you? When did you meet, how long have worked with him, how does he teach?
Scofield is some kind of a spiritual father for me in music, he is my role model and has a big influence on my view on music. Through him I got and I still get the main inspiration, since always when he's near Slovenia we meet for dinner, I check out his concert and we always hang out. That means a lot to me. Scofield is a fantastic musicians and a very big person. I know since 1998 when I met him in a concert in Italy. Each year I saw him many times and he had always invited me to New York. I accepted the invitation and in December 2000 I went for a month to him in New York, where I was learning. This is a huge privilege since John has not taught anyone for many years. I was with daily for about an hour or something like that, otherwise I practiced for seven or eight hours daily and the exercise was a turning point for my music. Since then I practice daily at least for three hours and this demands strong discipline and organisation.

Do you have enough opportunities to play?
For the music that I play there aren't many opportunities to play. More chances have the musicians at the manger, so mainly those from Ljubljana and those who play more comercial jazz. As far as my projects, who are not so commercially set, they are more free bop, complicated etno jazz and other more compley and creative improvised forms of music, there are not enough opportunities to play. In Slovenia I achieved the high point with the jazz festival in Ljubljana, more cannot almost be done.

You play also in other lineups, let me just mention Siti Hlapci and Ansasa Trio. Where will the music bring you?
Tough question. We'll see. I would like to keep the Ornethology Quartet and also try to conquer some bigger festivals and critics in Europe with it, the critics in Italy, Germany and Austria have already responded. With this band I will try to record in the future a new record with some guests: Robin Eubanks on trombone (one of the best trombone players in the world and the member of the legendary Dave Holland Quintet) abd the legend on trumpet Kenny Wheeler. Meanwhile I'm also discussing with one of the best drummers in the world, member of the Dave Holland Quintet, Billy Kilson, who really liked my record and my music. But it all depends on money, I don't have a label yet, so it depends a lot on sponsors. In Slovenia I also worked with the band Ansasa Trio, we recorded the CD Arabian Picnic, otherwise I also work with the reggae band Siti Hlapci, with whom we have a new record out Tukaj in Zdaj. Recent is also the new etno jazz project with friends from Maribor - Vasko Atanasovski, Matjaz Krivec and Andrej Hrvatin.

Can you explain how is it with composing?
It depends a lot on inspiration. For most of the projects I write intentionally, so conceptually. So, if I decide that I will make an etno jazz project I first listen to a lot of music from this field, I study different irregular rhythms and melodies and then I write my music. For the band Ornethology Quartet I wrote all music in three days. But it's true that before I listened for months and transcribed the 6 CD collection of Ornette Coleman's Complete Atlantic Records, where I transcribed all the themes and solos, which is more than any school in the world can give you. Improvisation is the miracle of jazz.

Does a musician while improvising have to forget to think about the outer world?
When it comes to improvisation you can just close your eyes and listen to other musicians, you create communication with them and that's the real pleasure. With a band like Ornethology Quartet it is really easy to improvise. But it is true that for improvisation you need a lot of knowledge about harmony, rhythm and other elements, It is like the alphabet, about which you don't think anymore when you write or talk.

Are you sometimes surprised about your improvisation?
Sometimes interesting things turn up. When you think that the thing will be bad, you listen to it and it's fantastic, that's how music is. And the other way around. I'm really rarely satisfied with myself. That's good beacuse you always strive to get better. You learn music all your life, it is huge and that's the magic of it. I'm really happy about the record Ornethology Quartet, it is a success in all views. BTW, a lot about you can find on this website.