Festival Jazz à Junas “Encounter with Serbia” 07/16-19, 2025

This 32nd edition of Jazz à Junas, organized with pianist Bojan Zulfikarpasic, gave us the opportunity to hear and often discover artists from Serbia who are still little known in our country.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Bojan Z‘s performance at the Temple de Junas reflected the charm of his latest album, “As Is“, recently released on the Paradis Improvisé label. In other words, a unique way of blending his classical training, Balkan influences and the generous breath of jazz culture passed on by Clare Fisher into a coherent whole. This is expressed in the melodic developments woven by a swift right hand and framed by the muscular support of the left, with percussive effects on the piano frame. What emerges is a way of exposing a melody with that sense of the right note and purity that takes his art to the highest level.

After this brilliant start, the evening continued in the sumptuous setting of Les Carrières with a performance by the talented violinist-singer Yvette Holzwarth and the virtuoso guitarist Miroslav Tadic, who presented a wide range of styles that have marked their personal itineraries: classical music, Slavic melodies, folk, gospel and a hushed jazz where the shadow of Billie Holiday hovers. A wonderful discovery and a special moment of conviviality.

Then came the Eyot Quartet, who dispensed neat, rigorous jazz fusion, well anchored in the present day with a repertoire dominated by pianist Dejan Iljić‘s compositions performed without much surprise by musicians who know each other well, the whole comfortably structured by Marko Stojiljkovic‘s bass lines, guitarist Sladjan Milenović‘s flights of fancy and Milos Vojvodic‘s drums.

Temple :

Bojan Zulfikarpasic: piano (Serbia, France)

Carrières du Bon Temps :

Miroslav Tadic: guitar,

Yvette Holzwarth: violin (Serbia)

Eyot Quartet (Serbia)

Dejan Ilić (piano, synthetizer),

Sladjan Milenović (guitar),

Marko Stojiljković (bass guitar),

Miloš Vojvodić (drums).

Thursday, July 17, 2025

The following day at the Temple, Trio Sélène presented a repertoire of original compositions and Armenian songs, updated by arrangements that harmoniously blend the sounds of Mélanie Badal‘s electroacoustic cello, Blaise Cadenet‘s guitar and Mahesh Vingataredy‘s drums. Organized under the aegis of Jazz Migration, this concert holds great promise.

A few moments later, the trio of double bassist Nenad Vasilic awaited us at Les Carrières, an activist artist appointed in 2018 as ambassador of the “Serbia Creates” platform. Their performance was an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the leader’s Balkan-inspired melodies and the novel colors of the soprano saxophone-accordion sound alloy (C’est la vie, San Francisco Dance).

At the end of the set, these master melodists invited pianist Bojan Z to join them to present his new “Meteq” project, accompanied by Rémi Vignolo (double bass) and Pierre-François Dufour (drums, cello). This fine team was joined by guest star Thomas de Pourquery, a jazz maverick who brought the full, generous sound of his alto saxophone and the seduction of his vocals (Mashala) to the ensemble. As an encore, these merrymakers performed a Tom Waits theme that delighted the audience dancing in front of the stage.

Temple:

Sélène (Reunion Island, AJC) :

Mélanie Badal: cello and vocals,

Blaise Cadenet: guitar,

Mahesh Vingataredy: drums.

Carrières :

Nenad Vasilic Trio (Serbia)

Nenad Vasilic: doublebass,

Romed Hopfgartner: soprano saxophone,

Marko Živadinović: accordion.

Bojan Z “Meteq” feat. Thomas de Pourquery (Serbia, France)

Bojan Zufilkarpasic: piano,

Rémi Vignolo: drums,

Pierre-François Dufour: cello,

Thomas de Pourquery: saxophone and vocals.

Friday July 18,

The following day at the Temple, accordionist Marko Živadinović gave a fine concert, establishing himself as a top-class soloist and an outstanding storyteller. His technique, acquired through classical training, and his knowledge of Serbian folk music, as expressed in his compositions, enabled him to honor this tradition with authenticity, delivering its full grandeur.

In the evening at Les Carrières, the Majamisty Trio presented itself as a leading Serbian jazz band, with a repertoire featuring compositions by pianist Maja Alvanović, impeccably interpreted with rigor and swing.

A change of genre and sonic power came with Ana Popovic, who took to the stage in stilettos and a flamboyant red ensemble. The Serbian guitarist has moved beyond her status as a female blues rock star to express other facets of her talent through a production that opens up musical perspectives where blues, soul, funk and gospel merge into a highly personalized whole.

Her voice now comes to the fore, serving up a more varied repertoire that bears witness to the difficult times she has lived through, but also conveys hope and optimism.

Her musicians, who she also knows how to bring out the best in, support her ardently with a danceable groove rooted in Stax and Motown. A concert to remember for the delighted audience.

Temple:

Marko Živadinović: accordion (Serbia)

Carrières:

Majamisty Trio (Serbia)

Maja Alvanović: piano,

Ervin Malina: double bass,

Lav Kovač: drums

Ana Popovic Sextet (Serbia, USA)

Ana Popovic: guitar and vocals,

Cory “Buthel” Burns: bass and backing vocals,

Michele Papadia: Hammond, claviers and backing vocals,

Kwesi Robinson: drums and backing vocals,

Claudio Giovanoli: alto saxophone,

Davide Ghidoni: trumpet.

Saturday July 19

At 6 p.m., the Place de l’Avenir played host to a concert by the Minots Jazz Gang, prepared over the course of four week-long workshops in improvisation, percussion and slam, under the watchful eye of highly committed teachers. Their performance included a lively, off-the- beaten-track cover of Caravan, the hit by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington, and a slam demonstration that delighted the spectators and parents who turned out in force. This essential and highly symbolic activity highlights the fund-raising efforts of the organizers, as experience has shown that some of these young trainees later find their way into the formidable team of volunteers that makes the Junas Festival so strong.

At 9pm in Les Carrières, a concert by Louis Sclavis was scheduled.

Since his early days with the Lyon Workshop, Sclavis has found world music a constant source of inspiration. This time, his new project, aptly entitled “India”, evokes the musical breath of an imaginary India.

As usual, Sclavis has integrated these references into his universe, penning compositions whose melodies, brilliantly sketched out during solos and duets in which he took part with Olivier Laisney and Benjamin Moussay, draw on thesolid support propelled by Christophe Lavergne‘s drums and Sarah Murcia‘s double bass (Madras Song, Un théâtre sur les Docks and the four-part suite Long Train).

Music of the highest standard, interpreted with elegance.

Then it was back to the Ekrem Mamutović Orkestar, a top-quality Serbian brass band whose repertoire of danceable tracks and catchy melodies enthralled the audience, who finished the set on their feet.