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sofija knezevic

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this morning 6.mp3
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this morning 6.mp3
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Released: Apr 2, 2011
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General Info

  • Genre: Blues / Jazz / R&B

    Location Beograd,Graz, YU

    Profile Views: 60896

    Last Login: 2/27/2013

    Member Since 3/17/2008

    Website http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnNvZmlqYWtuZXpldmljLmNvbQ==

    Record Label Unsigned

  • Bio

    Born 02.04.1990. in Serbia. She finished two secondary music schools in Belgrade . The first one is ''Mokranjac'' - where she was attending theoretical , vocal an instrumental department for the piano. The second school is ''Stankovic'' the jazz singing department. Also finished general secondary school . Ifinished Primary school ''Vuk Karadzic'' as well as primary music schools ''Dr. Vojislav Vuckovic '' and ''Mokranjac'' . She finished the exams for the final year of primary school in ahead of schedule - in one month total – because she has enrolled secondary music school ''Mokranjac'' in the previous year . She was awarded the title of The Best Pianist among all the candidates from Serbia and Montenegro . She finished both secondary schools a year earlier on the same way like she did with her primary school, because she passed the entrance examination in the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. She was also acting in the movie that was made for the Festival in Belgrade , few years ago , called ,''Nastajanje'' made by Vlada Perovic . And also was writing in a few fashion magazines , because before that she was some of the top people in fashion in her country . Has been performing in Europe since she was seven years old , both as a soloist and as a member of a group of singers . Already at that age she had concert tour in Italy and Slovenia . She sang at 10 concerts in the Kolarac Foundation , 4 concerts in the Sava Centre ,1 in jazz club ''The bird '' , 1 in ''Movie bar'' , 4 concerts in the National Theatre , 1 in the gallery ''Progres'' , one at the Republic Square and she also sang at numerous concerts in famous Serbian , Italian , Austrian and Slovakian concert halls and jazz clubs . She was the winner at the town singing competition ''Golden Mermaid'' . She was also the winner at the municipality competition ''Golden Mermaid'' , as the leading group singer . She recorded several CD – s with various groups and choirs . Last one was recorded with the STAGE BIG BAND of Sigi Feigl. She sang in the choirs '' Kolibri'' , ''Krsmanac '' , ''Obilic'' , ''KUG Jazz Choir'' , ''Gospel Choir'' , ''Vociferous'' , ''Free Vocal Ensemble'' etc . She sang as a backup vocal at numerous performances including the Junior Eurovision. She has played the piano at over 20 public classes and openings of exhibitions and galleries , and many other public performances . In 2005./2006. she had her two soloist humanitarian concerts for two little children who needed a heart surgery. 2009. She had a soloist concert , performed in reopened ''Kuca Djure Jaksica'' with Ivan Maksimovic(Berklee), Ivan Ilic(Berklee) , Jani Sepetavec (KUG), Milan Stanisavljevic (KUG) , in Belgrade. Last concert was performed 2010. in ''Miles'' , Austria, with Felipe Sequeira de Oliveira, Mathias Ruppnig and Tuomo Uusitalo. She had many concert toures, the most important ones were in Slovakia for the 4 Jazz Festivals she sang on, and the tour with the famous Don Menza in Austria. She was a soloist in ,, Mokranjac ,, hall , the oldest hall in Belgrade ,, Stankovic ,, and in the Student Cultural Centre . She sang at the opening of jazz club ,, Dizzy's ,, in Belgrade in 2007 . She worked with many jazz musicians like Shawn Monteiro , Peter Herbolzheimer , Aria Hendrix , Jelena Revisin , Stefan Heckel, Rob Bargad, Michael Kahr , Don Menza , Eddie Henderson , Werner Feldgrill , Thomas Kugi , Mario Gonzi , Oliver Kent , Mary Fran Lubahn , Dave Santoro, Bob Brookmeyer , John Aberccrombie , Jerry Bregonzi , Barre Phillips , Sandy Cressman , Wayne Darling , Freddie Hersch , Derrick Gardner , Dusko Gojkovic , Stjepko Gut , Anette Giesrigel, Sheila Cooper, Claus Raible, Fritz Pauer, Dena DeRose, Ed Partyka, Felipe Riveira, Chicco Renato, Roberto Quintero, Luis Bonilla, Sheila Jordan and many others . She sang at the jazz Festival in Novi Sad for Sheila Jordan in 2006 , and on a Austrian MM Jazz Festival 2008. , 2009. in Slovakia on the Music Festival in Lyptovsky Mikulas. Also 2010. with Vociferous and Veryan Weston at the Jazz Festival in Graz ''Singers and Voices'', and with the Vociferous and also with the KUG Jazz Choir on the Jazz Festival in Weiz, Austria. 2009. she had a pleasure to sing with the famous european Dixieland band, on a few concerts including the festivals ''Bojcinsko Kulturno Leto'' and ''Gardoske Letnje Svecanosti'' . And also had a pleasure to sing for humanitarian causes in Austria in Bad Goizern and many other places. In year 2008. she acted and sang in an international project called ''MUSIC MATTER VIBRATION'' with Italian musicians Michelangelo Lupone, Luigi Picaleo , Carlo Laurenzi ,Jean Jeffreau. Because of that cooperation these people decided to give the money for opening a jazz department at the main Art University in Belgrade, Serbia. 2010. She sang with the famous Austria international competition winning band Sway with Alberto Lovison, Felipe Oliveira, Yvonne Sconzo and many others with whom she won the First Price at the Emergenza competition, and Austrian Band Competition and the second price on Vienna Band Competition. At that time she recorded a CD and a few singles with DJs James Rockie, Marvin Stitt and Flamez Shop. She sang on 5 Vocal Night Concerts in Graz, and on 10 concerts with Stage Big Band of Sigi Feigl. 2008. and 2010. there were two Radio Shows on Beta RFI and RTS recorded , about Sofija Knezevic and her art. And also a many more TV and radio shows recorded her performing. In her singing you can hear a lot of influence from Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Charlie Parker, George Benson, Kim Burrell etc. She is now at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria in her third year. Her great wish is to go to New York to continue her education and singing. She is preparing the audition for the Thelonius Monk competition in Washington , and many concerts around the world. She is also still working in fashion organisation, also managing bands, arranging for big bands, writing her own compositions. Lots of photographing and modelling , and she's soon finishing her third book. Right now she is waiting for her big project to be approved by the Serbian Government, about one month of education for all the people who want to know about jazz , in Serbia. You can see her videos and hear her singing on YouTube, Myspace, Facebook etc. Or you can visit her site: http://www.sofijaknezevic.com

  • Members

    Felipe Oliveira (b) Tuomo Uusitalo(p) Mathias Ruppnig(d) Alvis Reid(b) Jeremy Ashbourne(d) Dusan Kovacevic(p) Vilkka Wahl(g)

  • Influences

  • Sounds Like

    Dinah Washington,Ella Fitzgerald,Sarah Vaughan,Nancy Wilson,Sheila Ferguson,Marlene Shaw

Stream

  1. sofija knezevic

    Loving the #sidebang #darkhair http://t.co/EgmpjYCxJs

  2. sofija knezevic

    #makeup #yellow #sofijazz #lipstick #tbf http://t.co/cBvvJgIuCh

  3. sofija knezevic

    Hanging after the #gig at the flatiron room #straighthair #bang http://t.co/a6VWtHBSIb

  4. sofija knezevic

    What to wear for the gig tonight?

  5. sofija knezevic

    #throwbackthursday #nyc #sunnyside #glasses http://t.co/KnwfuMVyo3

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Biography

..school.In her first year of jazz studies in Stankovic she is singing at the concert on the Public Square for the celebration of a national holiday with Jelena Jovovic,Brazillian Affair,Girls from Imapanema,Beogradski Sindikat. She was a part of the famous jazz matinee`s at the Kalemegdan Castle. While being in 2 high schools at 4 departments,she attended many workshops including the one with a couple of worlds best percussionists in Bitef Theater, which were followed with the concerts at the same venue. Also during that time she had a chance to teach international visiting students with the National Musicians Organisation. And that CD is recorded for NMO. As we already know, she was involved in many charity events, therefore she held 2 big concerts in Mokranjac for 2 teenagers that needed urgent help for the heart surgery. And also the concert in Sava Centar for the homeless children. With the same program she held concerts in Stankovic Hall, SKC Hall. Where she met Stjepko Gut and Aria Hendricks ( Jon Hendrick`s daughter ) where she sang with them in jazz club `Ptica`.After that she is leaving to Novi Sad to sing with Sheila Jordan on the Jazz festival 2006, after which she is singing with Eddie Henderson and his band.Few days after that she is singing at the concert with Peter Herbolzheimer that was organized by Goethe Insitut, with international musicians, that show was recorded live and was showed worldwide.At the end of her 2nd year of her jazz studies, she was invited to sing at the opening of the biggest jazz club in Belgrade, Dizzy`s. Where she sang with Serbian most important jazz musicians.That year (2007) she begins her studies as the youngest student in the history of the university. And in the first few months she entered the audition for the MMJAZZ FESTIVAL in Austria, and passed it with the highest score.After wich she performed with Chaka Khan`s band, and that performance is recorded and filmed for ORF. Right after that concert in St.Poelten she wrote an arrangement for her first recital at the university for the song `Shiny Stockings` arranged for nonet. And it had a huge success. During the summer of 2008. in the cooperation with University of Arts in Serbia, she performs on the international project MUSIC MATTER VIBRATION in JDP, with Michelangelo Lupone, Luigi Picaleo, Carlo Laurenzi and Jean Jeffreau. That performance is recorded and kept in the Italian Embassy. The performance included playing instruments, acting, dancing, composing and singing. After that event Italian ambassador decided to finance the opening of a jazz department at the University of Music in Belgrade, since there was no one.November 2008. with international musicians Zvonimir Sestak, Tuomo Uusitalo, Lubos Brtan and Piotr Pawlak she performs in Slovakia at Bratislava`s biggest Jazz Club.December 2008. she had to big concerts, 1st one is the Vocal Night concert in Wist,Graz and the other one is a Christmas Concert with Sigi Feigl Big Band also in Wist.After the succesful summer school cooperation University of Serbia and Stari Grad sponsored a big concert in Djura Jaksic House in Belgrade.Where she performed with Ivan Ilic, Milan Stanisavljevic, Jani Sepetavec and Ivan Maksimovic. In february/march she went on a tour with Don Menza well known saxophone player,composer and arranger (Pink Panther Theme) and Sigi Feigl Big Band performing in several cities on a several concerts.Right before the tour she held a concert for the Opening of the Austrian new Railway.End of march beginning of April Sofija had a chance to work with a singer from NewYork Sandy Cressman who sings Brazilian jazz, and is very well educated about their language and culture.They had a concert together on the 26th of March in Graz, together with Juan Garcia Herreros.May/June 2009. Sofija works with a Finnish group of musicians, and went on a tour with them in the upper Austria exploring new modern kinds of music mixed with jazz and funk.After coming back to Graz she performed at the opening of the New Concert Hall Mumuth in Graz, with Edward Anthony Partyka`s Big Band and Lena Mentschel.July 2009. she proudly presents her duo music with Yvonne Bruger in the Bad Goisern at the human rights charity event, where they asked her to teach at the University stunned by her talent and ambition. Unfortunately too busy to stay there and teach,she had to go back to Serbia and record a CD with Flamez Shop in the studio of Vladimir Rackovic and then gets into a contact with him and sing with his famous Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra at several festivals such as Bojcinsko Kulturno Leto and Gardoske Letnje Svecanosti.At the same time, she works with producers like Petar Cvetkovic, Dusan Kacarevic, James Rockie, Marvin Stitt, and some more. During the recordings she performs almost every night in a Jazz&Blues Club Plek.After getting back to Austria she is starting to sing with a jazz latin band SWAY, with which she`s winning the 1st price on the EMERGENZA Band Festival, 1st price on Austrian Band Competition, and Replugged Band Competition.November 2009. Sofija works with Derrick Gardner, Charles Davis and Ed Soph.In december she goes on a tour with Tuomo Uusitalo,Felipe Oliveira,Juraj Rasi and Lubos Brtan.Performing at the international Modern Music Festival in Lyptovsky Mikulas and some concerts more including one in Brooklyn. End of december she sings with a KUG JAZZ choir in Wist and in Capparri. After which she performs with a Big Band on the 18th of January 2010.Also with a support of Mary Frances Lubahn, Milan Opera singer she performs at several classical concerts singing opera arias.All these years of performing she did many interviews, and most of them are recorded.Including the one with Katarina Epstein for Radio Beograd 1 – Afternoon Mood , two shows. And the one for BETA RFI that was recorded a few years before that, and played every year internationally. During her first 3 years of the university she worked with a unique free jazz vocal ensemble and performed with the same ensemble at many venues around Europe (Wist, Postgarage, Kug...) And at the same time worked with Barre Philips, John Abercrombie, Adam Nussbaum,Billy Hart,Jerry Bergonzi, Dave Santoro,Bob Brookmeyer.She also worked with many famous jazz musicians since she was 14 like: Jelena Jovovic, Shawn Monteiro, Christian McBride, Terence Blanchard, Ambrose Akinmusire, Fritz Pauer, Jason Moran, Jeff Ballard, David Murray, Rob Bargad, Michael Kahr, Roberto Quintero, Wayne Darling, Annette Giesriegl, Jay Clayton, Sheila Cooper, Sheila Jordan, Dena DeRose, Kevin Mahogany, Nasheet Watts, Taurus Mateen, Fred Hersch, Luis Bonilla , Jim Rotondi, Jim McNeely and many others. Beginning of the year 2010. she performes her famous arrangement `Disney Medley` for a septet.That concert was followed by a performance in jazz club `Miles` that she dedicated to Horace Silver`s music since he is one of her biggest influences where she presented another famous arrangement of hers with Horace Silver`s tunes. She wrote lyrics to more than 30 Horace Silver`s songs.Spring 2010. she was invited by an English composer and pianist Veryan Weston to join an international a cappella group `VOCIFEROUS` together with him ,Annette Giesriegl, Siruan Kueng, Anush Apoyan, Iris Ederer, Dorothea Jaburek, Patrik Thurner and Franz Schmuck. They all performed together the composition byt Veryan Weston called `Tessalations 2` at the jazz festival in Graz `Singers and Voices` on the stage with Norma Winston.The same set-up performed in Weiz at the `Choir Fire` Festival,where she also performed with the KUG Jazz Choir the same night.June 2010. she sings with a well-known band `The Jazz Passengers` in `Our Little Theater`. At the same time she got and invitation to perform at the NewYork Fashion Week for the Elie Saab Show.July 2010. she is invited to sings at the opening of the Brazilian Cultural Center in Belgrade with guitarist Andreja Stankovic from Amsterdam.September 2010. she goes on a tour in England with VOCIFEROUS. They perform at numerous venues in several cities including London,Welwyn Garden City,St. Albans etc. They also had a pleasure of performing with and amazing pianist Leo Svirsky and the percussion ensemble Welwyn Hatfield Ethnic Minority Group. The whole concert was filmed and it is going to be published during 2011. on a Documentary Film Festival in UK.She also records her cd with Vociferous in the Pinewood Studios in BBC. That CD is later released in spring 2011. for the EMANEM RECORDS.After the tour, she is coming back to Serbia to perform in jazz club Wheels and Izba in Novi Sad, and also records an album with a producer Medicine Man,that is going to be released later (spring 2011) for the EXIT label. Winter 2010. she is in Graz in her last years of jazz studies, she there works with Charenee Wade and Kevin Mahogany. After that she got a chance to work with Jason Moran and the Bandwagon first at the Belgrade Jazz Festival then at the VIP Jazz Festival in Zagreb, and she composes and records a tune with Moran. And the same night famous saxophonist David Murray recognizes her great talent and asks her to sing with him `at least one tune`.From september 2010. she is starting to work for a Film Festival Beldocs on 3 positions MarketingManager,Public International Relations and as a Stylist and a host for the Festival in Cannes.Modeling for the fashion magazines,ads,and comercials. Won the first price in a photography and photoshop competition in the `SMASHING MAGAZINE` ,she did many exhibitions with her photo work and also as a painter and designer.Sofija also designed dresses and shoes for famous performers in Eastern Europe.Worked for many magazines,as a writer,stylist and a photographer.Now writing for a jazz magazine that is covering European jazz scene `Jazzin` .And she`s soon finishing her third book with finishing recording her album with Poogie Bell for Warner Bros. February 2011. she is on a tour in the states for a month recording her album with Poogie Bell and Jazzadelica, where she has a chance to perform for/with Ambrose Akinmusire, Rodney Kendrick, Poogie Bell, Sean Jones, Alex Han, Brandone McCune, Melonie Daniels, Nikki Ross, Lalah Hathaway, Christian McBride,Terence Blanchard, Casey Benjamin...and many more.Also recording with a well known producer and pianist Selan. In the spring/summer 2011 her work with producer Shazalakazoo was published in a compliation `SWING DISOKTEKA` by a German Label EASTBLOK.After that she performed with Filip Bulatovic on tha national TV in Serbia,in a show that is showed live worldwide `MIRA ADANJA POLAK I VI`.And held a concert in a `Montaza Klub` with local musicians in Belgrade. Also performed at the Literature award show ( Fondation of Princess Olivera ).While performing and recording she also did interviews for Jazzin` magazine, Wannabe Magazine, and Elle style fashion magazine.In June 2011, she performed at the Exit Festival, opening of Cinema City Movie Festival in Novi Sad Serbia, for around 10 000 people. Where she performed tracks from the CD she did with Medicine Man `Data Jazz` which is also the soundtrack of the whole festival. In her singing you can hear a lot of influence from Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan,Nancy Wilson, Charlie Parker, George Benson, Kim Burrell etc.She has a Bachelor Degree in Professional Jazz Singing Performance at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz,Austria from 2011. She is in New York,where she is continuing her educaton and working. She is also still working in fashion organization, also managing bands, arranging for big bands, writing her own compositions.At the moment she is recording with Igor Lecic in Novi Sad,and forming new eastern-sounded bands with Igor Malesevic.Currently working with producers in New York too such as: Gregory Cox,Mylious Johnson,Poogie Bell,Selan and others. You can see her videos,photos and hear her singing on Google,YouTube, Myspace, Facebook

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