BIOGRAFIJA

Željko Kovačević - clarinettist, saxophonist, composer (Zagreb, 18. march 1954.). 

Graduated in clarinet studies at the Music Academy and in geography at the Academy of Nature and maths. He is consistently running few groups with different music styles: TOWER77, KOVA&co (fusion), MODO NOVO (sacral, classic, world music), CROATIAN SAXEX (folk composing), CUTE (swing) and the ZAGREBAČKI DIXIELAND ANSAMBL. In all these, he stands out as a remarkable composer, clarinettist and a saxophonist. He was granted a scholarship at the Goethe institute and there participated in the first jazz workshop in Zagreb as well as in Burghausen where he collaborated with the European music youth. He is one of the founders of The Big-band, the orchestra of the Croatian Music Institute (HGZ). Željko participated in numerous international jazz festivals. As a soloist, he performed on the Caribbean islands, in Brazil, Togo and throughout Europe. Since 1986. he plays at the Big-band of HRT.

Orchestral compositions: Nemir me nosi, Stop, Zaborav, Ispod plave krošnje, Pre shave, Prvom gradu, Uspomena, Pjevaj mi sokole, Blues za tebe, Kad se svjetlo gasi, Miriam and others.

Fusion: Hanuma, Wo ist hausmeister, Miš, Imitacija, Mitting77, Alem, Majka Ljerki kose plete, Dim, Surprise, HU-hu, Aladin, Factory.

Classical: 4 za 3, Suitacroatica

Entertainment: Babby sitter, Studentica, Gospa, Betula, Petrica and others.

Discography:

1. KOVA&co Pre shave
2. KOVA&co Shave
3. KOVA&co Saxing for sailing
4. CUTE
5. CUTE play Gershwin
6. CUTE play Goodman
7. More CUTE Than Cute
8. MODO NOVO Musica sacra antiqua croatorum
9. MODO NOVO Live in Dubrovnik
10. MODO NOVO Music of Eric Satie
11. MODO NOVO Christus natus est hodie
12. TORANJ 77, Miting 77

Diplomirao je studij klarineta na Muzičkoj akademiji u klasi prof. Tonžetića, te studij Geografije na Prirodoslovno-matematičkom fakultetu u Zagrebu. Kao stipendist Goethe instituta sudjelovao je na prvom jazz workshopu u Zagrebu i Burghausenu pod vodstvom Joa Viere, gdje je surađivao s Europskom glazbenom mladeži. Jedan je od utemeljitelja Društvenog orkestra (Big banda) Hrvatskog glazbenog zavoda. Nastupao je na mnogobrojnim glazbenim festivalima kao solist glazbenik, skladatelj i aranžer. Kao solist nastupao na Karibima, Brazilu, Togou i diljem Europe. 

• Toranj 77 i Kova&co (fusion)
• Modo Novo (sakralna, klasična i etno glazba)
• Croatiansaxex (quintet saxofona)
• Cute (swing,gipsi swing)
• Zagrebački Dixieland ansambl
• Do danas je izdao 12 albuma različite provenijencije
• Toranj 77; Miting
• Kova&co;
• Pre shave, Shave, Saxing for sailing
• Modo Novo;
• Musica sacra antiqua croatorum, Live in Dubrovnik, Music of Eric Satie, Cristus natus est hodie
• Cute;
• Cute, Cute play Gershwin, Cute play Goodman, More cute than cute

Uz sve gore navedeno Željko Kovačević oduvijek istražuje i pronalazi nove glazbene mogućnosti, a to se najbolje ogleda u njegovoj suradnji sa pripadnicima mlađe generacije od kojih su neki danas etablirani jazzeri srednje generacije.

Njegov se glazbenički istraživački njuh u tom smislu pokazuje dosljednim sve do danas kada rado i često surađuje sa najmlađom generacijom novopridošlih glazbenih nada.