Sinan Alimanović (born 11 February 1954) is a Bosnian jazz pianist, organist, composer, conductor, arranger and educator.

Biography

Sinan Alimanović has worked with American and European jazz musicians such as

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock music, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was ...

, Harvie S, Duško Gojković, Erich Kleinschuster, Alex Blake,

Victor Lewis Victor Lewis (born May 20, 1950) is an American jazz drummer, composer, and educator. Early life Victor Lewis was born on May 20, 1950, in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Richard Lewis, who played saxophone and mother, Camille, a pianist-vocalist ...

, Barbara Hendricks, Gianni Basso, Aladar Pege, Vaclav Zahradnik, Lee Harper, Csaba Deseo,

Jim Mullen Jim Mullen (born 26 November 1945) is a Scottish, Glasgow-born jazz guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum. Biography Jim Mullen was guitarist with Pete Brown & Piblo ...

, Robert Balzar, Jože Privšek,

Miljenko Prohaska Miljenko Prohaska (17 September 1925 – 29 May 2014) was a Croatian composer, music arranger and orchestra conductor. A respected double-bass player, He was mainly known for founding a number of prominent Croatian orchestras and for his long ...

Tony Lakatos Antal "Tony" Lakatos (born 13 November 1958 in Budapest) is a Hungarian Jazz saxophonist (tenor, soprano saxophone). He lives in Frankfurt, Frankfurt (Germany). Lakatos attended the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest from 1975 to 1980, then m ...

, Tony Fisher, Ladislav Fidri, Stjepko Gut, Petar Ugrin, Bobby Sanabria and many others. Sinan Alimanović studied at the Academy of Music in

Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...

Priština Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district. In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdom. The heritage of th ...

, and

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

. He began his musical career with rock and

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 ...

bands, jazz ensembles and large orchestras, performing throughout the former Yugoslavia. During the 1970s, he became a member of the Revue Orchestra of the Radio Television of Priština (now: Radio Television of Kosovo). In 1979, Alimanović moved to

, where he became a member of the rhythm section, arranger, composer and conductor of the Great Orchestra (

Big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

) of Radio Television of Sarajevo (now: Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina). After he met

Slobodan Kovačević Slobodan "Bodo" Kovačević (29 December 1946 – 22 March 2004) was a rock guitarists in former Yugoslavia. He began his musical career in the early sixties with the Sarajevo band "Wanderers" and few years later in the mid sixties joined Index ...

, he became a member of the rock group

Indexi Indexi was a Bosnian and former Yugoslav rock band popular in Yugoslavia. It formed in 1962 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and disbanded in 2001 when singer Davorin Popović died. Some of their most notable songs are "Svijet u kome ži ...

. In 1981, at the Festival Vaš šlager sezone, Sinan Alimanović won the award for the best arrangement for the song "Betonska Brana", which he composed together with guitarist Slobodan Bodo Kovačević. In 1983, Sinan left the group Indexi. In 1997, he returned and remained with the band until the death of the lead singer

Davorin Popović Davorin Popović (23 September 1946 – 18 June 2001) was a Bosnian singer and songwriter. Born in Sarajevo and well known throughout the former Yugoslavia, he is considered to be one of the greatest rock singers of the region. Popović was the ...

. In the 1980s, he collaborated with the rock bands in Sarajevo such as

Bijelo dugme () is a Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Yugoslav Rock music, rock band, formed in Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1974. is widely considered to have been the most popular and the best-selling band ever to exist in the former S ...

, Ambasadori. His interest in jazz led him to compose music characterized by rhythmic measures close to the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with 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 throug ...

combined with the sound of

Hammond Organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

and

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 ...

. Twice he was a member of the EBU/UER Public Jazz Orchestra (1986 – Opatija and 1990 – St. Gerold) as the only representative of the former Yugoslavia. While he worked in the big band of Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina, he also led small bands. His compositions are often based on the

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

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 ...

and the Balkans, while, simultaneously, his musical aesthetic is built on the disseminated seeds of

bebop Bebop or bop is a style of jazz developed in the early to mid-1940s in the United States. The style features compositions characterized by a fast tempo (usually exceeding 200 bpm), complex chord progressions with rapid chord changes and numerou ...

hard bop Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop (or "bop") music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospe ...

, and

cool jazz Cool jazz is a style of modern jazz music inspired by bebop and big band that arose in the United States after World War II. It is characterized by relaxed tempos and a lighter tone than that used in the fast and complex bebop style. Cool jazz of ...

. At the Glazbena Parada Radenci Sinan Alimanović won the award by

Yugoslav Radio Television Yugoslav Radio Television (''Jugoslavenska radiotelevizija''/Југословенска радиотелевизија or ''Jugoslavenska radio-televizija''/Југословенска радио-телевизија; JRT/ЈРТ) was the national ...

for the musical processing and orchestration of the theme "Oj golube, moj golube". The composition was performed by the

Big Band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

of Radio Television of Sarajevo. In the 1980s, Sinan Alimanović opened the first

jazz club A jazz club is a venue where the primary entertainment is the performance of live jazz music, although some jazz clubs primarily focus on the study and/or promotion of jazz-music. Jazz clubs are usually a type of nightclub or bar, which is licens ...

, named the Jazz Club of the International Friendship, that was included in the map of the World Jazz Clubs. During the

Siege of Sarajevo The siege of Sarajevo () was a prolonged military blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the ethnically charged Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by Serbian forces of the Yugoslav People's Arm ...

, Sinan Alimanović and a group of enthusiasts were trying to preserve a cultural scene of Bosnia and Herzegovina alive. On four occasions, he was conductor and arranger at the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...

. In the book ''The Eurovision Song Contest – The Official History'', author John Kennedy O'Connor mentions Sinan Alimanović as the conductor who performed often at this competition. During the war, he composed " Sarajevo Remake" which was performed for the first time in 1993 with the remaining members of the

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

of Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the occupied city. Ten years later, Alimanović released an album named ''Sarajevo Remake''. In 1997, he returned to

and recorded '' Kameni cvjetovi'', their second studio album in 39-year-long career. The album contained the Bosnian traditional song Sevdalinka "Snijeg pade na behar, na voće" with

arrangement by Alimanović. With Indexi Alimanović also recorded two live albums. Sinan Alimanović was also Director of Music Production of Radio Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( MP BHRT) from 1994 to 2002. During that time, he led twenty music festivals. As a conductor and one of the founders of the Sarajevo Big Band, he performed at the Olympic Hall Zetra in Sarajevo in 2000. Guests included Duško Gojković,

, and

Oliver Dragojević Oliver Dragojević (; 7 December 1947 – 29 July 2018) was a Croatian singer and composer, who was considered one of the most enduring musical stars and cultural icons in Croatia with a discography that spanned nearly five decades. His style b ...

. The concert was recorded and released under the title ''Najveći koncert u gradu''. In 2003, he released the album ''Sinan Alimanović Quintet'' – Sarajevo Remake. A double album '' Bosnia Groove'' by Sinan Alimanović International Band, was released in 2007. It was followed by the live album '' Live in Tuzla'' by Sinan Alimanović Ladislav Fidri Quartet (2009). In 2016, Sinan Alimanović released live solo piano album ''Live in Sarajevo''. In 2017, live album Live in Studio: Bosnian Blue by Sinan Alimanović International Band is released. In 2019, the album ''Live in Skenderija'' by Sinan Alimanović Trio was released. In 2013, Sinan Alimanović's composition ''Lejla'' has been selected in TOP 5 world's jazz compositions by Made in New York Jazz Competition and jury members:

Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz multi-instrumentalist. T ...

and Lenny White. As the professor at the

Sarajevo Music Academy The Sarajevo Music Academy or Music Academy , University of Sarajevo ( or MAS) is a Faculty of Music of University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. History Sarajevo Music Academy was founded by the Decision of the National Assembly of ...

, Sinan Alimanović educated the first generations of jazz students in the history of the Sarajevo Music Academy. In 2018, the Sarajevo Music Academy released the album ''The First Jazz Concert of the Sarajevo Music Academy Students'' / ( Prvi jazz koncert studenata Muzičke akademije u Sarajevu), held under the musical mentorship of Sinan Alimanović. In September 2020 jazz label Miles High Records released the album ''Lejla'' by Sinan Alimanović International Band. Sinan Alimanović International Band members are: Harvie S (double bass),

(drums), Lejla Alimanović (vocals), Jed Levy (saxophone), Adam Klemm (saxophone). The album ''Lejla'' has been recorded at the Trading 8s Recording Studio owned by Chris Sulit. The Sinan Alimanović International Band has been active in various forms since early eighties. With his International Band, Sinan Alimanović performed over the Europe, United States of America and China. Alimanović is listed on the web site of the world, contemporary composers MusicaNeo. His work is also listed in world jazz archives – Jazz Music Archives. As the Bosnian Jazz ambassador in 2015, Sinan Alimanović was invited to perform at the ''2nd Annual Jazz Gala Concert'' held at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, New York City. The documentary movie ''Sinan Alimanović Jazz Musician'' was produced by Radio Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The documentary was directed by Emir Saltagić, while the screenplay was written by Dr. Vinko Krajtmajer.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* 2003 "Sinan Alimanović Quintet – ''Sarajevo Remake''" * 2007 "Sinan Alimanović International Band – '' Bosnia Groove''" * 2009 "Sinan Alimanović Ladislav Fidri Quartet – ''Live in Tuzla''" * 2016 "Sinan Alimanović – ''Live in Sarajevo''" * 2017 "Sinan Alimanović International Band – '' Live in Studio: Bosnian Blue''" * 2019 "Sinan Alimanović Trio – ''Live in Skenderija''" * 2020 "Sinan Aimanović International Band – ''Lejla''"

As sideman

Sarajevo Music Academy * 2018 '' Prvi jazz koncert studenata Muzičke akademije u Sarajevu'' With Indexi * 1981 ''Betonska Brana VŠS'' * 1999 '' Kameni cvjetovi'' * 2000 ''Najveći koncert u gradu 01. 12. 2000. Zetra'' * 2002 ''Posljednji koncert u Sarajevu'' * 2009 ''The Best of... /Live Tour 1998/1999 Vol. 1'' * 2009 ''Live Tour 1998/1999 Vol. 1'' With Kosovski božuri * 1978 ''Veče Rok Muzike – JRT Opatija'' * 1979 ''Opatija '79 – Rock Grupe'' With Ambasadori * 1980 ''Ne mogu nam ništa!/Partizan'' * 1980 '' Dao sam ti što se moglo dati'' With Bijelo Dugme * 1986 '' Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo'' * 2000 '' Pljuni i zapjevaj moja Jugoslavijo'' * 1990 '' Nakon svih ovih godina'' * 1994 '' Hajdemo u planine''

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alimanovic, Sinan Jazz pianists Jazz arrangers Jazz composers Jazz organists 21st-century pianists 21st-century organists 1954 births Living people Musicians from Sarajevo Musicians from Leskovac Bosniaks of Serbia Yugoslav composers Yugoslav musicians