NIKOLOV–IVANOVIĆ UNDECTET

Groundbreaking…among the most creative current large jazz ensembles in Europe.

JazzTimes, USA

Rhythmically complex, harmonically evocative compositions, all impeccably arranged.

Downbeat, USA

Won the Made in New York Jazz Competition 2019.

Randy Brecker, Lenny White and Mike Stern

The Nikolov-Ivanović Undectet is a large ensemble with an eclectic instrumentation. This eleven-piece band led by pianist and arranger Vladimir Nikolov and drummer Srdjan Ivanović fuses tradition and out-of-the-box thinking to produce sophisticated Balkan influenced music that challenges the listener on an emotional and intellectual level. “Dystopia” is their third but it is also the first album in a new blasting line-up including top musicians from France, Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria.

Nikolov is prominent in his arranging work with world orchestras and conductors (Metropole Orchestra, BBC Radio Orchestra, Vince Mendoza, Jules Buckley). He orchestrated the music for the Oscar winning movie “The Artist” (2011) and the Grammy awarded arrangement of “All Night Long” by Jacob Collier (2020).

Ivanović is somewhat more active in smaller formations (Modular, Blazin’ Quartet, Xenos). The audience knows him as the leader of the band Blazin’ Quartet, presenting the original vision of joining modern European jazz with Balkan influences.

The orchestra itself is composed of the best musicians of the younger and middle generation from the Balkan region, mixed with even younger forces from France into a symbiotic modern jazz ensemble:

Luka Ignjatović – alto sax, flute
Kristijan Mlačak – tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet
Léo Guedy – baritone sax, bass clarinet
Olivier Laisney – trumpet
Milan Roksandić – french horn
Sébastien Llado – trombone
Miloš Budimirov – tuba
Noé Clerc – accordion, accordina
Vladimir Nikolov − piano
Mihail Ivanov – double bass, bass guitar
Srđan Ivanović – drums

Their first album “Artistry in Broken Rhythm” released in 2018 under Metropolis Music is homage to the legendary album by Stan Kenton, pointing out Ivanović’s contemporary rhythmic structure as well as the like arrangements and compositions by Nikolov.

Their second album “Frame and Curiosity” was released in December 2019 under Coolabel. It features Magic Malik as soloist on flute.

Their third album “Dystopia” was released on 21.06.2024 (Rue des Balkans).