Borna Šercars Jazziana Croatica - A Little Book Of Notes (2011)

Borna Šercar's Jazziana Croatica is a relatively new and lesser-known name on the Croatian jazz music scene. However, when you look at the names that make up that group: Borna Šercar - drums, ensemble leader; Ante Gelo - guitar; Tihomir Hojsak - double bass; Zvijezdan Ružić - piano; Vojkan Jocić - saxophones, it will be clear to even better informed jazz lovers that this is a group of quality and well-known jazz musicians. They have already been proven in some earlier projects and for their ensemble very soon, many jazz lovers from this area will know.
As they say for themselves, Ensemble Jazziana Croatica was founded with the aim of preserving Croatian musical heritage with various folk influences and imposing some new "standards" in Croatian jazz expression. Their first discography is also on that track - the album "A Little Book Of Notes" (Aquarius Records, 2010) with 10 songs (mostly original, with three covers: M. Perković - "Battalion", B. Bersa - "Sunny Field ", I. Tijardović - "Marjane, Marjane").
In, I would say, equal representation, all members of Ensemble Jazziana Croatica equally bear the "burden" of musical interpretation of the material from their album. Although the name of the ensemble includes the name of Borno Šercar, a respected jazz drummer, the trap of being a "drummer" album was avoided. All musicians are equal and use their instruments to convey their musical story to us. That story is, of course, based on jazz. In the presented material there is also classic jazz - bebop colored by the influences of Coltrane and Parker, but there are also free forms of jazz intertwined with ethnic motifs, especially recognized in the composition "Soko Loved Him".
My favorite is the first song from the album - "New Red Dwarf". If you like another song - then this album has achieved its goal - it managed to stand out in several places with its content. This album is a serious contender for the prestigious jazz awards, and those who decide on them will have to take it seriously.