OBERDIXIE BAND (Slovenia)

Tomaž Zevnik, clarinet
Dominik Krajnčan, trumpet
Marjan Petrej, trombone
Gašper Kržmanc, banjo, guitare
Aleš Avbelj, bass guitar
Jani Šalamon, drums

Dichotomy – division into two complementary parts, which together encompass the whole: good/bad, beautiful/ugly, light/dark, woman/man … – we often use it when we want to avoid unnecessary entanglement in many shades of life situations. Perhaps it is in this simplicity of only two possibilities that lies the fact that there are many types of music that so joyfully run the blood through the veins and enlighten the soul, written in the rhythm of only two beats – heavy and light. This rhythmic form of on- and off-beat owes its success to music, with which people have always happily descended into dancing: the polka – should be decorated with gilding of the Viennese court of the Strauss brothers or clearly recognizable Slovenian melodies of brothers Slavko and Vilko Avsenik, or dixieland music, which is basically a march with an emphasis on the light beat – and just like the polka – a two-beat musical form.

Therefore, the successful synthesis of music by the Avsenik brothers and other great composers of this kind, with the dixieland form of playing is not a surprise. It came alive by top Slovenian academic musicians gathered under the name Oberdixie Band. It awakens the same joyful feelings of spiritual salvation as only great art can conjure – great art which the music of the Avsenik brothers undoubtedly is. Moreover, as a composer prof. Tomaž Habe said, it is »the phenomenon of universality and uniqueness with a varied and picturesque Slovenian melody, mixtures of operetta and fun European light music«. Dixieland is also a music that marks the very beginning of a great art called jazz, created in the first and second decade of the 20th century in New Orleans, the melting pot of many cultures of the New, Old and African world, and the clash of black slave suffering and longing with the cosmopolitan Creole and white culture and education. With the First World War, dixieland began a march towards Chicago and due to the directness of black music, Creole excellent musical education and two-beat rhythmic forms tested in European classical music, it conquered not only the whole of America, but also Europe and the whole world – and it still does today. What a resemblance, Avseniks’ music and dixieland – from the narrow, steep Gorenjska valleys (remote, swampy deltas of Mississippi) with knowledge of classical musical techniques of polka, unmistakable sense of beautiful vision and dedicated and heartfelt musical creativity – to cross its own borders and delight many people all around the world. Yes, to delight the listener, in addition to all the similarities between Avseniks’ music and dixieland, is also the common, most valuable effect of both music as well as their synthesis in the form of the Oberdixie band.

Admission free. *In case of rain, the concert will take place at the Škuc Gallery.

Due to the amendments to the decree on the temporary restriction of the cultural services, event may be attended only by persons with a certificate of: recovery of covid-19 (P), vaccination (C) or a negative test result, which must not be older than 48 hours (T). Entry to the event is only possible with a PCT certificate. Certificate is not required for children under the age of 15 who attend the event with close family members or guardians.