Maja Jaku

Maja Jaku ( Jakupovic ) was born on 24th October 1971 in Kosovska Mitrovica ( SRB ). Her childhood was influenced by her musical family. In this way, her father, Ljuba Jakupovic, was a Jazz trumpeter, her grandfather an opera singer and her uncle a Funk bassist. This surrounding has proved inspiring for her as an artist. In her early childhood she used to listen to her father’s vinyls of Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Art Blakey..s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Ella Fitzgerald, Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughn, Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, George Benson, Stevie Wonder etc. and enjoyed singing along. As a young child she already performed at children’s festivals which were broadcasted live on TV. At the age of fourteen she founded her first band, gained experience on the stage and won several prizes in former Yugoslavia. Four years later she decided to go to Graz in order to study Jazz singing. She managed to pass the entrance exam at the University of Music in Graz and started studying in the classes of Mark Murphy, Andy Bey, Sheila Jordan und Jay Clayton. As a highly talented student she was given credit for her proficiency and ambition. -“It was a pleasure to work with Maja, she is a fantastic singer who possesses a beautiful and natural instrument. Her passion for music is at the highest level“- Sheila Jordan. “Maja has a great vocal range, quality and spirit “- Andy Bey The well-known Austrian Jazz critic Othmar Klammer stated: “This Jazz-Diva convinces with her passion, intimacy, volume and naturalness.”Her voice is the answer to the coolness of some American singers” “Being relaxed is the most important thing. When I am singing I always try to be as honest as possible” -Maja Jaku says. During her studies she participated in workshops of Barry Harris, Joe Pass, Wynton Marsalis, Lester Bowie and Tania Maria. When she joined Gerd Schuller’s Band “Attack“, she started to perform at many Jazz Festivals. Besides, they recorded a CD called “No compromise” In addition to her Jazz studies, she has always been interested in Gospel songs, which encouraged her to sing in churches as well. From 1996 to 99 she played important roles in two Musicals, Hair and Godspell, performed at the opera in Graz. In the media, numerous approvals were found. ” The theater was a great experience. I learned how to deal with the big stage...”- Maja reports In 1997, she founded her own band together with the Croatian pianist Sascha Mutic: the Maja Jaku Band. Today the two musicians are married and have a son called Viktor. ”Working with Sascha means being very creative. He is relaxed, patient but also precise and critical. He is willing to support me and to realize my spontaneous ideas. Above all, he taught me how to think as a band leader and not only as a singer.” Maju Jaku performed in projects, concerts and jam sessions with Andy Bey, Barry Harris, Peter Mihelic, Steve Gut, Resha Revishin, Darko Stonajkovski, Johnathan Blake, Howard Curtis, Fritz Pauer, Karl-Heinz Miklin, Ewald Oberleitner, Erich Bachträgl, Alex Deutsch, Andre Jeanquartier, Jure Pukl, Milan Nikolic, Dusan Novakov, Andjelko Stupar, Sava Miletic, Renato Chicco, Predrag Peric, Sava Medan, Martin Wöss, Werner Radzik, Dragan Tabakovic, Fernando Corea, Nenad Vasilic, Dennis Irvin, Oliver Kent, Brad Lily, Klaus Raible, Dejan “Munja” Cosic, Dusan Simovic, Mario Vavti, Lubos Sramek, Robert Jukic, Martin Harms, Jörg Haberl, Uli Renert, Peter Kunsek, Thorsten Zimmerman, Viktor Palic, Wolfram, Derschmidt, Wolfram Abt, Kolja Gjoni, Walter Rath, Vladimir Kostadinovic, Jaka Kopac, David Jarh, Vlada Krnetic and many more. In 2002, she produced her first album “Talking Jazzik” (Extraplatte-Vienna) The following musicians were involved in this project: Karl-Heinz Miklin, Fritz Pauer, Ewald Oberleitner, Dusan Novakov, Steve Gut, Sascha Mutic, Predrag Peric, Milan Nikolic und Andjelko Stupar. Positive reviews in the media confirmed the quality of the CD. What is more, Maja also sang in Big Bands such as with the Big Band RTV Beograd and the Sigi Feigl Orchestra. In 2006, her second album was published “Message” ( PG Records-Sounddesign-Austria ) Sascha Mutic, Jure Pukl, Milan Nikolic, Johnathan Blake, Vanja Kevresan and Andjelko Stupar supported the project musically. This album enjoyed great success. It was especially praised in music magazines, e.g. Jazzzeit-Wien, Kulturwoche-Wien as well as in international papers such as in the JazzHot-Paris. Maja has already performed in Graz (Opernhaus, Stefaniensaal, Minoritensaal, Kunsthaus, Schauspielhaus, Generalihof Konzerte, Stockwerk, Royal Garden Jazz Club, Miles Club, Wist), in Vienna (Museum Quartier, Porgy & Bess, Birdland, Metropol-Theater, Summerstage Festival, Jazzland), in Italy, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia and of course in Croatia. ”My great inspirations are: God, love, honesty, Viktor, my family, Graz, Kosovo, Serbien, Sheila, Andy, all my friends and enemies, my band and my fans, ...God bless you all” – Maja.

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