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Bojan Zulfikarpašić ( sr-cyr, Бојан Зулфикарпашић), known professionally as Bojan Z. (born February 2, 1968) is a Serbian
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
pianist.


Early life

He started playing and studying piano at the age of 5 in music school "Kosta Manojlović" in Zemun. As a teenager, he started playing in bands on Belgrade jazz scene, where he received an award as the Best Young Jazz Musician of
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
award in 1989. Since 1988 Bojan moved to Paris, France, where he developed a successful career as a pianist, composer and producer.


Later life and career

In 1986 studied with
Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorat ...
at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. He was influenced by the traditional Balkan music playing in an army orchestra during his
military service Military service is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, air forces, and naval forces, whether as a chosen job (volunteer military, volunteer) or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription). Few nations, such ...
in
former Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (commonly abbreviated as SFRY or SFR Yugoslavia), known from 1945 to 1963 as the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as Socialist Yugoslavia or simply Yugoslavia, was a country ...
, which would influence all his subsequent work. He moved to Paris in 1988, playing with Henri Texier, Michel Portal, Noël Akchoté, and Julien Lourau. In 1993, he recorded the debut album with his Bojan Z Quartet, followed by ''Yopla!''. In 1999, he was engaged in ''Koreni'' (''Roots'') with Karim Ziad from
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
, Kudsi Erguner from
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, and Vlatko Stefanovski from
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
. On ''Transpacifik'' (2003) he started collaborating with Scott Colley and Nasheet Waits, and continued on ''Xenophonia'' (2006) with Ben Perowsky and Ari Hoenig, as well as Frenchman Remi Vignolo. He often uses the combination of acoustic piano with
Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, t ...
electric piano, often playing them simultaneously, and recently is claimed to be the inventor of "Xenophone", a hybrid instrument, based on the customized Fender Rhodes electric piano. It can be heard on ''Xenophonia''. He won the Victoires du Jazz prize in France in 2007 for ''Xenophonia'' and in 2013 for ''Soul Shelter'' as the Best Albums of the Year. In 2002, Zulfikarpašić was granted the title of ''Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' by the French government, and he received the Prix Django Reinhardt for Musician of the Year from the Académie du Jazz. In 2005, he was granted the Hans Koller European Jazz Prize as the Best European Jazz Musician.


Personal life

He was born to a
Bosniak The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...
mother, while his father comes from the prominent Bosnian family Zulfikarpašić, who originate from
Foča Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the south-east on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 1 ...
in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
.


Discography

* ''Bojan Z Quartet'' (Label Bleu, 1993) * ''Yopla!'' (Label Bleu, 1995) * ''Koreni'' (Label Bleu, 1999) * ''Solobsession'' (Label Bleu, 2001) * ''Transpacifik'' (Label Bleu, 2003) * ''Xenophonia'' (Label Bleu, 2006) * ''Humus'' (EmArcy/Universal, 2009) * ''Soul Shelter'' (Universal, 2012) * ''Duo'' (2birds1stone, 2015) * ''Housewarming'' (Nwog, 2015)


As sideman

With Henri Texier * ''An Indian's Week'' (Label Bleu, 1993) * ''Mosaic Man'' (Label Bleu, 1998) * ''Mad Nomad(s)'' (Label Bleu, 2002) * ''Strings' Spirit'' (Label Bleu, 2002) With Julien Lourau * ''The Rise'' (Label Bleu, 2001) * ''Fire'' (Label Bleu, 2005) * ''Forget'' (Label Bleu, 2005) With others * Claude Barthelemy, ''Sereine'' (Label Bleu, 2000) * Jean-Jacques Birge, ''Sarajevo (Suite)'' (L'Empreinte Digitale, 1994) * Matt Darriau, ''Matt Darriau Paradox Trio With Bojan Z.'' (Felmay, 2010) * Angelo Debarre, ''Caprice'' (Hot Club, 1998) * Madame Piano, ''Predeli'' (ITMM, 1997) * Malouma, ''Nour'' (Marabi, 2007) *
Amira Medunjanin Amira Medunjanin (; born 23 April 1972) is a Bosnian singer and interpreter of sevdalinka. She holds both citizenship of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Biography Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo and her fascination with the Music of Bosn ...
, ''Amulette'' (World Village, 2011) * Amira Medunjanin, ''Silk & Stone'' (World Village, 2014) * Nguyen Le, ''Purple'' (ACT, 2002) * Oktobar 1864, ''Oktobar 1864'' (Jugodisk, 1987) * Michel Portal, ''Dockings'' (Label Bleu, 1998) * Michel Portal, ''Bailador'' (Universal, 2010) *
Nils Wogram Nils Wogram (born 7 November 1972) is a jazz trombonist, composer and bandleader. He began classical study at the age of fifteen. He was a member in the National German Youth Big Band, participated in classical competitions and formed his own ...
, ''Work Smoothly'' (Nwog, 2018)


References


External links


Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zulfikarpasic, Bojan 1968 births Living people Musicians from Belgrade Serbian jazz musicians Serbian pianists Yugoslav musicians 21st-century pianists Label Bleu artists