Stringsi is the name of the various jazz ensembles that jazz violinist Vlado Batista has led since 2000. During this time, he has presented genre-spanning and diverse projects with Stringsi, many of which have also been released as albums. For the first years, the ensemble was based on a string quartet with double bass. Later, the line-up changed and vocals and other instruments were added. Throughout the years, Stringsi has mainly performed Batista's original music and his adaptations of jazz standards. This time we will listen to Batista's Latin-tinged works written in the last few years.
Vlado Batista (violin) is a composer of contemporary serious music and a jazz violinist who, in addition to jazz, also devotes himself to ethnic music and other musical genres. He is also the author of film music. He has been creating and co-shaping the contemporary music scene in Slovenia and Italy for more than 30 years. In the early period of his creative path, he collaborated with many soloists from the Italian and Yugoslav music scenes (B. Petrovič, P. Ugrin, S. Gut, M. Sedak Benčič...). As a jazz violinist, he performs in Slovenia and in many other European countries. He recorded several original jazz albums for the Radio-Television Slovenia (ZKP RTV SLO) and Goga Musica labels. As a member of the Society of Slovene Composers (DSS), he has presented his novelties at the Night of Slovenian Composers every year since 1998. He teaches at the Faculty of Education in Koper.
Nejc Škofic (piano) is a versatile musician with an extensive repertoire. He works in a variety of musical and film-theater genres. He earned his master's degree in jazz piano at the Gustav Mahler Privatuniversität für Musik in Klagenfurt. In 2023, he received the highest artistic title, Recognition of Significant Artistic Works in the Field of Theater and Radio Arts. He worked as an accompanist at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television for seven years. He teaches jazz piano at the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet and piano at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana. He contributed to the high-quality soundscape of the most-watched Slovenian crime series, Primeri inšpektorja Vrenka (Inspector Vrenko's Cases), with his jazz arrangements and performances. As a member of a musical ensemble, he is active in musicals at the Ljubljana City Theatre and occasionally as musical director of projects at the SNG Drama Ljubljana. He collaborates with artists such as Janez Bončina – Benč, singer Wiyaala, Eugene Hideaway Bridges, Jean Christophe Gairard, Robert Pešut – Magnifico, Nuška Drašček, Nina Strnad, Boštjan Gombač, Klemen Slakonja, Bojan Cvetrežnik, the band Siddharta, and others.
Nikola Matošič (double bass) is one of the main actors of the new generation of Slovenian musicians, who strives to revive, preserve and modernize the Slovenian jazz scene. He has been one of the best Slovenian double bass players for many years. In Ljubljana, he has been organizing and leading traditional jazz evenings at the Jazz club Gajo for several years. He also performs a lot abroad, especially in neighboring countries. This year, he has concluded a successful Finnish tour with Peter Mihelič. With Zoran Predin, he was a co-creator and performer of his gypsy swing program in France, England and Scotland. He also collaborated with some of the world's best jazz musicians such as Deborah Brown, Rachel Gould, Renato Chicco, Aron Goldberg, Peter Mihelič, Howerd Curtis, Doug Sides, Vincent Hering. He is appreciated in all musical genres, which is why he is invited to participate in collaborations by colleagues of various musical expressions – Adi Smolar, Oto Pestner, young jazz bands and many others.
Stringsi is the name of the various jazz ensembles that jazz violinist Vlado Batista has led since 2000. During this time, he has presented genre-spanning and diverse projects with Stringsi, many of which have also been released as albums. For the first years, the ensemble was based on a string quartet with double bass. Later, the line-up changed and vocals and other instruments were added. Throughout the years, Stringsi has mainly performed Batista's original music and his adaptations of jazz standards. This time we will listen to Batista's Latin-tinged works written in the last few years.
