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Photo@Dalibor Danilović

BIO

Jelena Jovovic

Jazz vocalist, vocal clinician, composer, lyricist...

Graduated summa cum laude in jazz singing at the University of Arts in Graz, Austria.

MA degree in jazz performance at the FMU, University of Arts, Belgrade.

Jelena lived in South Africa where she performed extensively and established the jazz vocal curricula at the Jazz department of Cape Town University and Pretoria Tech School of Music.

Upon her return to Belgrade, she worked as a Creative Director of the Radio- Television Big Band and was a Professor of Jazz singing at the Music School '' Stankovic''.

Jelena performed around the world with many amazing jazz musicians: Bob Mover, Claus Raible Orchestra, Allan Praskin, Dusko Gojkovic, Brad Leali, Chuck Israels, Renatto Chicco, Steve Williams, Johnny Fourie, Oliver Kent, Big Band RTS, Khaya Mahlangu, Jack Van Poll, Selaelo Selota, Marcus Wyatt, Kesivan Naidoo, Bojan Z, Vasil Hadžimanov, Theodosii Spasov, to mention a few.

She recorded an album under the title Heartbeat that features Jelena as an author, lyricist and arranger.

Her new album"Nightbird" is released in November 2023.

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NightBird

NOVEMBER 2023

Listen to the album

Flora Purim, Jazz legend

“Jelena is a fierce warrior of excellent music.”

Randy Brecker, Jazz trumpet player

“I’ve been a fan of Jelena Jovovic’s music for a long time, both her singing abilities and the concepts she puts together on recordings, and this one new might be her best. Soulful and funky with a lot of scat singing, multi voice-arranging, and some vocalese featured, it keeps your interest from beginning to end! Beboppers will love this one, as it harkens back to the glory days of Jazz with many new wonderful elements added to the mix, but Jazz is at the core of everything.
The best of Jazz! Some wonderful Brazilian elements make a brief appearance to add a special color to this stunning music painting.
Great band, and her always amazing arrangements, compositions and lyrics also add to the overall conception with strong modern grooves, and burning solos along with the vocals!
Everyone is at the top of their game, so you just have to check this one out, and listen how Jazz Music ‘The Great Unifier’ under Jelena’s guidance, brings Balkan & American Cultures together into one amazing colorful unit!
Simply great! She outdoes herself on this one. Jelena’s “Nightbird” is a total musical package!”

Bob Weir, jazz journalist

“Jelena Jovovic is certainly one of the most outstanding European jazz artists from the Balkan region, who managed to break through European borders with her talent standing out as a vocal soloist and author on the territory of the USA.
Her album “Heartbeat” won the hearts of listeners on the playlists of major American and international radio stations. Jelena is a spiritus moves and a musician who has captivated people’s hearts with her musical talent on many international stages for more than three decades. With the voice of Sarah Vaughan and the velvet of Billie Holiday, but also with the modern approach of Dianne Reeves she won the hearts of many music critics and audiences worldwide.”

Photo@Dalibor Danilović

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Randy Brecker

'' Well, all I can say is - Jelena's album Heartbeat is HIP ! The singing, scatting, playing, compositions, lyrics, and charts are great and so inventive! Really up to date too! Congrats on the album! Enjoyed the more 'intimate' songs/tracks too. Loved it!!! ’’

Patric Forge

''I’m impressed with Jelena’s Heartbeat. She's great and the whole thing sounds great. The supporting casts are on point! At times she really reminds me of Sarah Vaughn.... And I don't think there are many singers out there who get anywhere close to that. She's got a fabulous tone, and she phrases sweetly with plenty of push and pull with the pulse of the music...’''

Flora Purim

''....I haven't heard something so beautiful in at least 10 years. The music is fresh, the arrangements are great, the musicians are at their peak. Special to me are the vocal arrangements as well as Jelena's vocals.Definitely the best recording of the year...''