elvis penava

Born on 20th of March in 1980 in Rijeka, Croatia. Currently based in Zagreb.Elvis Penava started to play the guitar in his teens, forming bands in and around his home town Opatija. In 2001 he started studying Jazz Guitar at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. Graduated in June 2006-Bachelor Degree with honours. He was a member of the award-winning band Jujuphonics (Biberbach Jazzpreis). He participated in the 2005 International Association of Schools of Jazz Meeting in Krakow, Poland. Since 2004 he is a member of the HGM Jazz Orkestar Zagreb, led by Sigi Feigl. With The HGM Jazz Orkestar he played various festivals in Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Italy and reaching out as far as Indonesia and the USA(IAJE conference 2006 in New York). Also, worked with Revolucionario- Bosnian classical music quintet. Elvis was the guitarist in the European jazz orchestra 2006 tour led by Barry Forgie, touring all over Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, England, Wales, ending in Glasgow, Scotland where the band recorded. In 2007, chosen to participate in the Montreux Gibson Jazz Guitar Competition, among six other guitarists from all over the world, in front of George Benson and Vernon Reid as the jury. Had the pleasure to perform alongside Peter Erskine, Randy Brecker, Bobby Shew, Yellowjackets,Michael Mossman,Gustavo Bergalli, Victor Villena, Peter Herbolzheimer, John Thomas, Deborah Brown, Jim McNeely, Don Menza, Karlheinz Miklin, Earl Gardner, John Riley, Dick Oatts, Sigi Feigl, Miles Griffith, Bosko Petrovic, Tamara Obrovac, Primoz Grasic,Miro Kadoic,Sasa Nestorovic, Davor Krizic, Kruno Levacic... Currently co-leading his own group Satellite. Member of:Matmar(with Teo Martinovic, Janko Novoselic), Adam Klemm Band, Mirokado Quartet, Kruno Levacic Trio...Awards - STATUS 2007- ( Musicians Union award)- category- Jazz guitar. - STATUS 2007- MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR