Vasko Atanasovski                                                              photo by: Alja Rems
Composer, saxophone and flute player
(soprano, alto & baritone saxophone, flute, bansuri, recorders)

Vasko Atanasovski is one of Slovene most creative composers and musicians. He published four original albums that are, without exception, placed on a domestic jazz pedestal.: “Vasko Atanasovski SOLO – Akupunktura” (2001), “Vasko Atanasovski Quartet - Heat Flower” (Extraplatte Wien 2002), “Vasko Atanasovski trio - Suite de passion” (Goga 2003), “Vasko Atanasovski ADRABESA Ensemble - Tanatos Eros”. He has got a lot of positive critics for his work home and abroad. He has performed on important festivals and happenings as: European week of culture in India (New Delhi, Bombay...), Alpentoene (CH), Xong festival (A, I, CH), Cankarjev dom - Jazz season 2003, Druga godba, Porgy&Bess Club Vienna, Tenera è la notte 2003 (ITA), Vrijeme je za jazz HTV (CRO), Avantguarde MusicFest Wien (A), Rasa (HOL), Euro Jazz Festival 2004 (Athens), RingRing (YU), Mediawave (H)...

He has collaborated with musicians as: Michel Godard (F), Simone Zanchini (Ita), Tamara Obrovac (Cro), Roberto Bartoli (Ita), Zoltan Lantos (H), Bratko Bibic, Klarisa Jovanovic, Quatebriga, Katalena, Patetico, Krunoslav Levacic (Cro), Ewald Oberleitner (A), Erich Fisher (Ch) Karmina Silec & Carmina Slovenica, Ziga Golob, Nino Mureskic...
Since 1997 he is mostly dedicated to his own projects; so he is a founder or co-founder of many musical groups and projects and also composer for dance, puppet and theatre performances. He has collaborated with choreographers and directors: Vito Taufer, Brane Potočan, Jernej Lorenci, Mojca Horvat, Jasna Knez, Matevž Gregorič, Miha Golob, Peter Boštjančič...

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Something from the media;

»Vasko Atanasovski with creative approach preserves old traditions in fresh and playful compositions, with real enthusiasm and ecstasy that catches the public as the musicians on the stage, so full experience of this music finds it's real satisfaction not before meeting from eye to eye and ear to ear . Genuine home product, we could say, worth of sign ‘a cake in the family garden’. «

Radio Študent Ljubljana 2005

“…for two hours Adrabesa quartet has put a spell on audience that has filled up the hall to the last corner…”

Maja Pertič - Primorske novice 2005

“Lately Vasko Atanasovski has undoubtedly been one of the most creative Slovene musicians...” “Jazz with a Slavic soul - a rare flower in our garden.”

Jazz Season 2003 – Cankarjev dom

“Atanasovski demonstrated that he is not only a musician with a strong authorial seal, but also an excellent ensemble leader and a brass-player with a recognisable sound.”

Mario Batelič - DNEVNIK – Slovenian daily newspaper          

“Vasko Atanasovski doesn't leave anything to chance. His attitude towards composing isn't hermetically artificial style that only resuscitates the shades of jazz history anew. In his exposition, he is an extremely flexible and inventive musician; thus each project of his is based on an intimate axis of individual reliving of a certain genre or tradition. On the one hand, there is reflection of a space impregnated with improvisational content, on the other, communication, attached to the fluid currents of heritage.

        Delicate (re)interpretation evokes the feelings of the past; yet it presents them in the light of today, with simultaneous improvisation on a carefully set theme. Thus we share, irrespective of the size of the ensemble, the full-blooded music in which we discover ethno-roots of various latitudes and their phrasing in contemporary abstract spheres. Atanasovski has shown a genuine vitality, particularly in his later work. Over a three-year period he released three CDs–Heat Flower, Suite de Passion and the recent Tanatos Eros–that are, without exception, placed on a domestic jazz pedestal. The last of these (Tanatos Eros) was also in the limelight of the author’s evening. ”

“Vasko Atanasovski is patiently but persistently becoming one of the most innovative musicians in our region.”

Gregor Bauman – Delo 2005 – Main Slovenian daily newspaper

“Bright is the sound of Vasko’s saxophone and sunny is the music that he creates. Melodies that are rooted in Balkan tradition are close to him. If we’re a bit daring (and not quite correct to young creative) we could drive these conclusions to mark “Gato Barbieri of Balkans”. As it seems - at least in immortality that is expressed in impulsive blowing and in Vasko’s second name - our saxophonist will follow the Argentinean “Cat”."

Festival Sajeta 2004

“With new album of musician, composer and leader of many musical groups Vasko Atanasovski we have got a double confirmation of in a time before spoken words: that the situation in home jazz scene in vital and it’s growing and that right Atanasovski with his bands has become one of the main activist of this happenings.” “…convincing and in all views top-level of production…”
Zoran Pistotnik, 2003

“Vasko Atanasovski and his quartet come to wide range of home and international public as one of the most magnificent sprouts of jazz happening...” 

(Zoran Pistotnik – Muska 2002
 

“ … Vasko Atanasovski, flutist and saxophonist and yet composer, music pedagogue and organiser from Maribor, is not counting thirty yet, but has already evolved his talent up to a great ripeness and famous style. In quartet with pianist Dejan Berden, contrabassist Ewald Oberleitner and great percussionist Nino Mureskic, he played a series of his own compositions with “impressionistic” titles – as well we could say that also the approach is reminding on musical impressionism. It’s about calm, melodic and smooth going jazz, continuing European “cool” tradition from the 70’s and 80’s, characterizing it with folk elements – above all use of syncopated rhythms (reminding mostly on Macedonian music – otherwise there should be Vasko’s ancestors from), which give a calm main stream much more liveliness and power – and all together discretely interlaced with extreme improvisation and “free” experiment. Their performance was enthusiastic and audience could not leave them of the stage …”

Darinko Kores - Jacks - Večer 2001

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Published albums of Vasko Atanasovski:
- “Vasko Atanasovski Adrabesa Ensemble - Tanatos Eros” Goga 2005, Novo mesto, Slovenia

- “Vasko Atanasovski Adrabesa Ensemble - Eros Tanatos EP 2004” published by the author 2004
- “Vasko Atanasovski – Suite de passion / Suita pasijonska” Goga 2003, Novo mesto, Slovenia

- “Vasko Atanasovski Quartet – Heat Flower / Vročinska roža” October 2002 Extraplatte Musikproduktions Vienna, Austria
- “Vasko Atanasovski SOLO - Akupunktura” published by the author 2001