Branislav Lala Kovačev

Branislav Lala Kovačev

Kovačev in 1980, photo by Dorman Laszlo
Background information
Birth name Branislav Kovačev
Also known as Lala Kovačev, Lala Kovacev
Born November 19, 1939
Kikinda, Serbia
Died September 2, 2012 (aged 72)
Hvar, Croatia
Genres Jazz, modern jazz, modal jazz, fusion, ethno jazz
Occupation(s) Musician (drummer, bandleader, composer).
Instruments Drums
Years active 1956-2009
Associated acts Horst Jankowski, Chick Corea, Hans Koller, Albert Mangelsdorff, Wolfgang Dauner, Alan Skidmore, Michal Urbaniak, Benny Bailey, Duško Gojković, European Jazz Consensus, International Jazz Consensus, Lala Kovacev Group
Website http://www.lalakovacev.com

Branislav Lala Kovačev (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранислав „Лала“ Ковачев; November 19, 1939 in Kikinda, Serbia - September 2, 2012 in Hvar, Croatia) was a Yugoslavian-Serbian jazz musician, drummer, bandleader and composer. Widely considered a key figure in the history of Balkan Ethno jazz. As a leader of European Jazz Consensus, International Jazz Consensus and Lala Kovacev Group, he developed a distinguished fusion style by integrating complex rhythmic structures from Balkan folk music into jazz.[1]

Biography

He showed interest in music at a young age, playing trumpet first and soon turning to drums. Largely self-taught, Lala Kovačev began his professional career as a member of the Dixieland Ensemble Dinamo when he was 17 and within two years he became the youngest member of the Radio Belgrade Jazz Orchestra led by Vojislav Simić. He moved to Germany in the mid-1960s and spent six years performing with Horst Jankowski internationally. From 1974 to 1975 he played with Max Greger in Munich and with the North German Radio Orchestra in Hanover. During this and later period he was collaborating with Chick Corea, Hans Koller, Albert Mangelsdorff, Wolfgang Dauner, Alan Skidmore, Boško Petrović, Michal Urbaniak, Duško Gojković and Benny Bailey.[2]

In the early-1970s Kovačev formed European Jazz Consensus with Alan Skidmore, Gerd Dudek and Adelhard Roidinger. This avant-garde jazz group released two albums: Four for Slavia (1977) and Morning Rise (1977). International Jazz Consensus came as continuation of the first quartet and released one album Beak To Beak (1981) featuring Allan Praskin, Adelhard Roidinger and John Thomas. Lala Kovacev Group was created following year and released three albums: Balkan Impressions (1982), Balkan Impressions Vol.2 (1983) and Izvorni Folklor i Jazz (1985).[3]

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

  1. ↑ Official Website
  2. ↑ Lala Kovacev Biography - LastFM
  3. ↑ Lala Kovacev Discography - Cosmic Sounds, London