FESTIVE CONCERT – BLAŽ VRBIČ: Fireplace Xmas

Blaž Vrbič, vocals, artistic direction
Blaž Pahor, keyboards
Peter Mandelj Mejač, guitar, musical direction
Luka Dobnikar, double bass
Žiga Kožar, drums
Andrej Štrekelj, trumpet
Jaka Ahačevčič, saxophone
Matija Mlakar, trombone

Festive December in Metlika

Fireplace Xmas is a musical project by vocalist Blaž Vrbič, joined by a team of outstanding Slovenian musicians, bringing together jazz, soul, Latin rhythms and timeless Christmas melodies. Drawing much of its inspiration from the rich tradition of American Christmas music, with iconic artists such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as contemporary performers like Michael Bublé, the project blends elegant jazz standards, sophisticated swing and the warmth of soul music. The repertoire features beloved Christmas classics and songs that have defined the festive season over the decades, ranging from intimate ballads to more upbeat, rhythmically vibrant numbers, including Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Let It Snow!, White Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Blue Christmas, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? and Driving Home for Christmas.

Featuring carefully crafted arrangements created especially for the occasion, an expressive vocal performance and the vibrant sound of a dedicated brass and woodwind section, Fireplace Xmas creates a musical atmosphere reminiscent of cosy evenings by a crackling fireplace. Blending the elegance of classic jazz, the laid-back spirit of Latin music and the infectious energy of the festive season, Fireplace Xmas offers a musical experience that is both nostalgic and fresh, filled with warmth and sophistication.

Vocalist Blaž Vrbič studied jazz and popular music at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet under Professor Nada Žgur. He further developed his vocal skills with Professor Piera Ancona in Venice and Prof. David Jones in New York City. Although he has regularly performed with smaller jazz ensembles, his musical journey has been particularly shaped by collaborations with large jazz orchestras (big bands), with which he has performed more than 80 times to date. These include the RTV Slovenia Big Band, Jazz Punt Big Band and Big Band Grosuplje. Since 2013, he has collaborated with Big Band Grosuplje on a concert project dedicated to the music of Frank Sinatra, which has been performed north of 40 times.

Although jazz remains his first musical love, Blaž has explored a variety of musical styles. In 2023, he presented Reset, an original music project blending contemporary jazz, soul and pop. In collaboration with London-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Femi Temowo, he released two singles, Feel So Good and Ljubezen govori, both accompanied by music videos. He has also performed as a backing vocalist at the Slovenian Song Festival, and his voice can be heard in numerous animated productions broadcast by RTV Slovenia. Between 2018 and 2020, he played Marty in the musical Madagascar and gained further live performance experience singing aboard cruise ships across the Caribbean, Scandinavia and the British Isles.

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