Drummer Dejan Terzic is one of a couple of handfuls of young musicians living in Germany who have begun to make their presence felt on the world jazz scene in the last decade. The reason for this abundance of budding world class talent taking root and flourishing in the German jazz soil is a theme for the jazz historian - but the fact is that Germany has become fertile ground for contemporary jazz. Dejan was born in Banja Luka in what was then Yugoslavia. His Serbian family moved to Germany when Dejan was 3 years old. He began playing piano at the age of 6, and took up drums at 12, playing art first in rock and funk groups. His induction into the world of jazz came through the back door. Listening to Sting's album "Bring On the Night", he was grabbed by the playing of pianist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. It was at this point that his exploration of the world of jazz began in earnest. In the summer of 1991 Terzic journeyed to the Vermont Jazz Center, run by the legendary Hungarian guitarist Attilla Zoller. Attilla proved to be a major influence on Dejan, encouraging him, and clueing him in on the subtleties of group dynamics and improvisation. During the same summer Terzic became a member of New York's Drummer's Collective, where he studied with among others, Marvin Smitty Smith and Bill Stewart. Back in Germany, Dejan began studying at the conservatory in Wurzburg where he met up with drummer Bill Elgart, one of the most original creative players on the scene. Terzic's comment was, "...he brought me to some really different stuff..." The next few years were hectic ones, filled with studies and gigs. His playing began to catch the ears of both musicians and the public - and his playing began to gather in the prizes - Young Bavarian jazz Lion 94/95, Best Drummer, Krakow festival 94, Best Drummer, Leipzig Festival 95, Best Musician, International Jazz Festival Oberkochen, 95. Nuremberg Cultural Prize, 97, Munich Cultural Prize 2004. In the years he has toured and recorded with Lee Konitz,Bob Berg, George Garzone,Roy Hargrove,Enrico Rava, Franco Ambrosetti, Jerry Bergonzi, James Moody, Antonio Farao, Palle Danielsson, Rita Marcotulli, Mark Helias, Chris Speed, Dusko Goykovic, Tim Hagans to name a few. Dejan has become a mainstay on the European jazz scene, and besides his own projects, he is a regular member in the Antonio Farao Trio, Jens Winther Quintett, Nils Wogram Trio,Anke Helfrich Trio and the Palle Danielsson Group. He has released 3 Records under his own, the 4th one being released in May 07. The first record was released by Naxos Jazz, a quartet with saxophonist George Garzone in 98. The second Album was released in 2001, a quintett with Jens Winther,Antonio Farao,Tony Lakatos and Martin Gjakonovski. This was the time when he realized that it would be an indispensible step for his own music to discover and explore the realms of folkloristic melodies and rhythms of the Balkans, so he started working on the "Underground" Project, consisting of Chris Speed, Mark Helias and Frank Moebus.The band has been touring extensivly the past 3 years,and released its first Cd in 2005 by Gramofon, and recorded the second Cd in November 06, being released by Gramofon in oct 07.
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