Performers' Bios

Laibach

Laibach is a Slovenian experimental music group, associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. They are an edgy controversial group who, through their use of lighting and special effects, has made a great impact on the musical culture of Slovenia. These great performers have tremendous on-stage presence, and stir up an appreciation for true musical talent.

Vasko Atanasovski

Vasko Atanasovski is one of Slovenia’s most creative composers and musicians. He has published many original albums that are, without exception, placed on a domestic ethno jazz pedestal, including “Akupunktura,” “Heat Flower,” “Suite de passion,” “Tanatos Eros,” "Altdorf Live," and his 2007 album "Attic dance" with AGL Trio. His work has been highly praised by critics both at home and abroad.

Guy Klucevsek

Guy Klucevsek is an American-born accordionist and composer. Klucevsek is one of few accordion players active in jazz and free improvisation. He has released 16 albums as a leader or co-leader, and has recorded or performed with Dave Douglas, John Zorn, Bill Frisell, Laurie Anderson and many others. He is also a member of the international group, Accordion Tribe.

Brina

The establishment of the ensemble Brina – named after its lead singer Brina Vogelnik – was brought about in 2003 with a desire for a fresh and more bold musical approach. Brina's seven-member ensemble draws its musical motifs from traditional music, which is brought back to life and rearranged, producing a repertoire consisting of original pieces. Brina's latest album Pasja legenda remained in the top ten of the World Music Charts Europe for a remarkable three months. Brina is one of the two performers from Slovenia who have appeared at Womex - World Music Expo (Seville, 2006). This year, Brina will be performing in Mexico City, New York City, the Detroit Festival of the Arts and in numerous cities throughout Spain.

Zlatko Kaucic

Zlatko Kaucic has lived in Amsterdam since 1984, but has toured the world playing his music with many different artists. Zlatko’s specialty is a unique solo percussion performance that expresses his own personal style. He has played the North Sea Jazz Festival twice and currently plays with his own trio, which tours Spain regularly. He also plays with an octet and composes music for theatre and dance groups.

Silence

Silence is a Slovenian electronic, synth pop and soundtrack music composing duo consisting of Boris Benko (singer and songwriter) and Primoz Hladnik (keyboards and arrangements). Their music is characterized by melancholy experimental sounds and vocal arrangements, and they are known to incorporate live instruments, including the piano, violin, viola, double bass, cello and valiha. The duo is recognized for their vast involvement in music writing for contemporary plays in Slovenian theatre.

Fake Orchestra

Its name is derived from the group’s versatility and its defiance of convention, which make it impossible to categorize them. Its members play all different styles, so its not really one band. Fake began as a jazz ensemble. How did folk music get into the mix? "It came spontaneously," says guitarist and bandleader, Igor Leonardi. "Every member of Fake Orchestra brings their own ideas and their own repertoire. Ana, our singer who does the Slovene songs, was taught these traditional songs by her father. Our other singer, Janja, is an actress - she sings more cabaret and Latin stuff, meaning Spanish, French, Italian songs. Jelena, our violinist, has Balkan roots - she is from Bosnia - so she brought these Bosnian songs and Macedonian songs, of which we also have quite a few. So that's how this record came about. This is kind of a compilation of what was happening over a period of five years."

Godalika

Though at first sight they appear to be a classical string quartet, anyone familiar with Godalika is prepared for a musical adventure of an entirely different kind. Its members, though from different musical backgrounds, all share a common commitment to the mixing of genres to create their own unique sound. The string instrumentalists in the band, Klemen Hvala and Klemen Bracko, are classically trained and spend most of their time playing in classical ensembles. They, along with composer and double-bassist Nino DeGleria blend with the jazz, traditional and experimental styles of Jelena Zdrale and Matjaz Sekne to create a playful, memorable and uplifting sound.

Katalena

...emerged from a workshop that was originally meant to be a one-time only musical project. Its members are derived from different musical backgrounds, including classic rock, folk, blues and hip hop. The band believes in the legacy and timeliness of Slovene folk music, and they are known for recreating and performing it in their own unique way. By doing so, they hope to revive the tradition and give it a wave of fresh energy. They are one of the few Slovene bands who experimented in this way, and the result was the creation of a special mixture of rhythms and temperament, blending rock, ethno and jazz.

Bratko Bibic

...is a Slovenian accordionist who first came to prominence as a rock musician, playing in the ensembles Begnagrad and Nimal in the 1980s; both groups were pivotal on the rock scene behind the Iron Curtain, blending Slavic folk music with art rock. 1995 saw him release his debut solo record, Bratko Bibic and the Madleys of Bridko Bebic. The following year, he joined the Accordion Tribe, a critically acclaimed, internationally touring group of accordionists. Bibic continues to perform as a solo artist and as a duettist, with Otto Lechner, Matjaz Sekne, and Waedi Gysi.