
RATKO DIVJAK QUARTET (Slovenia) – Festival Noči v stari Ljubljani
Ratko Divjak, drums
Rudi Javornik, saxophone
Milan Stanisavljevič, keys
Jernej Vindšnurer, bass guitar
Vukovar-born drummer Ratko Divjak is one of the most established drummers from the former Yugoslavia. Although he successfully started his musical career playing rock, he soon became taken with jazz. At the tender age of nineteen, he already played with B.P. Convention at major jazz festivals in Montreal, Budapest, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Berlin, Prague, Vienna and elsewhere. In 1973 he joined the established Big Band of RTV Slovenia as first drummer, which he remained until 2013. Numerous ensembles he performed with include the New Swing Quartet, Greentown Jazz Band, Ugrin-Divjak Quintet and others. He is well acquainted with prominent international festival stages in Monterey, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Montreaux, Berlin and Bologna, where he has performed with world-renowned musicians such as Art Farmer, Gary Burton, Stan Getz, Joe Pass, N.H.O.P. Pedersen, Sal Nistico, Albert Mangelsdorf, Dusko Gojković, Dave Libman, Stjepko Gut, Tony Coe, Ferdinand Powel, Gianni Basso, Richard Davis and Joe Pass. He also shared the stage with excellent Slovenian musicians, such as Primož Grašič, Jani Moder, Lenart Krečič, Peter Ugrin, Jure Pukl, Marko Črnčec, Tomaž Gajšt, Tadej Kampl, Peter Mihelič and Robi Jukič. The Ratko Divjak Quartet’s line-up also includes seasoned pianist with numerous projects Milan Stanisavljevič, widely active saxophone player Rudi Javornik, and stylistically versatile bassist Jernej Vindšnurer. A line-up that is sure to give us a concert to remember.
Admission free.