Branislav Lala Kovačev (

Serbian Cyrillic The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet ( sr, / , ) is a variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language, updated in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two alphabets used to write standard modern Serbian, th ...

: Бранислав „Лала“ Ковачев; November 19, 1939 in

Kikinda Kikinda ( sr-Cyrl, Кикинда, ; hu, Nagykikinda) is a city and the administrative center of the North Banat District in Serbia . The city urban area has 38,069 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 59,453 inhabitants. The c ...

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...

– September 2, 2012 in Hvar,

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

) was a Yugoslavian-

n jazz musician, drummer, bandleader and composer. Widely considered a key figure in the history of

Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

Ethno jazz Ethno jazz, also known as world jazz, is a subgenre of jazz and world music, developed internationally in the 1950s and '60s and broadly characterized by a combination of traditional jazz and non-Western musical elements. Though occasionally equ ...

. As a leader of European Jazz Consensus, International Jazz Consensus and Lala Kovacev Group, he developed a distinguished fusion style by integrating complex rhythmic structures from Balkan folk music into jazz.

Biography

He showed interest in music at a young age, playing trumpet first and soon turning to drums. Largely self-taught, Lala Kovačev began his professional career as a member of the Dixieland Ensemble Dinamo when he was 17, and within two years he became the youngest member of the Radio Belgrade Jazz Orchestra led by

Vojislav Simić Vojislav Simić (Serbian Cyrillic: Војислав Симић, born 18 March 1924), better known as "Bubiša", is a Serbian musician, conductor, composer and the pioneer of Serbian ethno-jazz. Simić was born on March 18, 1924, in Belgrade, Yugo ...

. He moved to Germany in the mid-1960s and spent six years performing with

Horst Jankowski Horst Jankowski (30 January 1936 – 29 June 1998) was a classically trained German pianist, most famous for his internationally successful easy listening music. Biography Born in Berlin, Jankowski studied at the Berlin Music Conservatory and p ...

internationally. From 1974 to 1975 he played with Max Greger in Munich and with the North German Radio Orchestra in Hanover. During this period he was collaborating with

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...

Hans Koller Antonio Hans Cyrill Koller (12 February 1921 in Vienna – 21 December 2003 in Vienna) was an Austrian jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader. Koller attended the University of Vienna from 1936 to 1939 and served in the armed forces from 1940 to 1 ...

Janusz Muniak Janusz Józef Muniak (3 June 1941 – 31 January 2016) was a Polish jazz musician, saxophonist, flutist, arranger, and composer. He was one of the pioneers of free jazz in Europe, although later in life tended towards the mainstream. He debut ...

Zbigniew Seifert Zbigniew Seifert (7 June 1946 – 15 February 1979) was a Polish jazz violinist. Seifert was born in Kraków, Poland. He played alto saxophone early in his career and was influenced by John Coltrane. He devoted himself to jazz violin when he b ...

Albert Mangelsdorff Albert Mangelsdorff (September 5, 1928 – July 25, 2005) was a German jazz trombonist. Working mainly in free jazz, he was an innovator in multiphonics. Early life Mangelsdorff was born in Frankfurt on September 5, 1928, as the son of the book ...

Wolfgang Dauner Wolfgang Dauner (; 30 December 1935 – 10 January 2020) was a German jazz pianist who co-founded the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble. He worked with Hans Koller, Albert Mangelsdorff, Volker Kriegel and Ack van Rooyen and composed for radio, tel ...

Alan Skidmore Alan Richard James Skidmore (born 21 April 1942) is an English jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of saxophonist Jimmy Skidmore. Career He was born in London, England. Skidmore began his professional career in his teens, and early in his care ...

, Boško Petrović,

Michal Urbaniak Michal (; he, מיכל , gr, Μιχάλ) was, according to the first Book of Samuel, a princess of the United Kingdom of Israel; the younger daughter of King Saul, she was the first wife of David (), who later became king, first of Juda ...

, Duško Gojković and Benny Bailey. In the early-1970s Kovačev formed European Jazz Consensus with

Gerd Dudek Gerhard Rochus "Gerd" Dudek (28 September 1938 – 3 November 2022) was a German jazz Tenor saxophone, tenor and Soprano saxophone, soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist. Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the ...

and Adelhard Roidinger. This avant-garde jazz group released two albums: Four for Slavia (1977) and Morning Rise (1977). International Jazz Consensus came as continuation of the first quartet and released one album Beak To Beak (1981) featuring Allan Praskin, Adelhard Roidinger and John Thomas. Lala Kovacev Group was created following year and released three albums: Balkan Impressions (1982), Balkan Impressions Vol.2 (1983) and Izvorni Folklor i Jazz (1985).
Lala Kovacev Discography - Cosmic Sounds, London
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Discography

As leader

*1977: Four for Slavia - European Jazz Consensus (Electrola) *1977: Morning Rise - European Jazz Consensus (EGO Records) *1981: Beak To Beak - International Jazz Consensus (Nimbus) *1982: Balkan Impressions - Lala Kovacev Group (RTB 21220992) *1983: Balkan Impressions Vol.2 - Lala Kovacev Group (RTB 2121921) *1985: Izvorni Folklor i Jazz - Lala Kovačev (RTB 2122189)

As sideman

*1958: Jazz - Diksilend Ansambl Dinamo (RTB LP 506) *1959 Ansamble Metronom (Qualiton, Budapest LPX 7157) *1962: Bled ’62 (RTB LV 4901) *1964: Pozdrav Countu Basieu - Jazz Orkestar RTB (RTB 4200) *1967: Spectacular South African Tour - Encores - Horst Jankowski Quartet (Mercury Records SR 9003) *1967: Jankowkinetik - Horst Jankowski Quartet (BASF / MPS) *1967: Piano On The Rocks - Horst Jankowski (Mercury Records 138 110 MCY) *1969: Live - Catarina Valente / musical director Horst Jankowski (Decca SLK 16625 - P) *1970: Jankowskyline - Horst Jankowski (BASF / MPS CRA 864) *1971: Jankowskingsize - For Night People Only - Horst Jankowski (BASF / MPS CRA 822) *1972: Rockin’ Bach Dimensions - Bobby Gutesha (BASF / MPS) *1972: Follow Me - Horst Jankowski (Intercord 28 503 - 1 U) *1972: …Und…/ Tribute To Martin Luther King (ECM C 063 - 29070) *1972: God Means Joy - Roland Kovac New Set (Selected Sound 9022) *1973: Flight To Frisco - Bobby Gutesha Orchestra (Selected Sound 9039) *1973: Et Cetera Live - Wolfgang Dauner (BASF / MPS) *1973: Squeezing Art & Tender Flutes - Art Van Damme (BASF / MPS 21 217558) *1973: Jankowskeytones - Horst Jankowski (MPS 14 269) *1973: Ack Van Rooyen Meets Jerry Van Rooyen - Didn’t We (RCA LSP 10299) *1974: Tanz Party Mit Max Greger (Polydor 3 271 495) *1975: 15. International Jazz Festival Ljubljana ’74 (Jugoton LSY 65007/8) *1975: Inactin’ - Michal Urbaniak Group (Intercord) *1975: Parathyphus B - Michal Urbaniak Group (Intercord) *1976: Islands - Benny Bailey (Enja Records 2082) *1976: NDR Workshop 1976 (NDR) *1977: In Pain I Was Born - Boško Petrović (Jugoton LSY 68035) *1977: Catch Up 2 : The Birth Of The Second Life - Milan Pilar (Calig) *1978: Wide And Blue - Chris Hinze (EMI - Electrola LC 5527) *1978: Jazz Orkestar Radio-Televizije Beograd (1948-1978) - Jazz Orkestar RTB sa gostima (RTB 21211719) *1979: Jazz Na Koncertnom Podiju Vol.4 (Jugoton LSY 61536) *1979: Trumpet & Rhythm Unit - Gojković-Kovačev (RTB 4206) *1982: Some Kind Of Changes - Charlie Mariano (Callig) *1982: The Horn Is Back - Gunter Klatt (JG Records) *1991: Meeting On Hvar - Chuck Israels International Trio (Anima) *1998: V.A. Bravissimo II - 50 Years NDR Big Band (ACT) *2001: V.A. Nek’ Jazz Poteče - 17th Yu Jazz Fest, Valjevo 2001 (Jazz Festival Valjevo)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kovacev, Lala 1939 births 2012 deaths People from Kikinda Serbian drummers Jazz drummers Avant-garde jazz drummers Modal jazz drummers Mainstream jazz drummers Jazz fusion drummers Serbian jazz bandleaders