The Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) Jazz Orchestra

The Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) Jazz Orchestra, the only professional band of its kind in Croatia, performing continually for over seven and a half decades, ranks among the longest-lasting big bands in the world. 

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Established during the 1946/1947 season as the Radio Zagreb Dance Orchestra needed for radio broadcasts and recordings, in time it also started giving public performances. In addition to participating in a number of public broadcasts and independent concerts in Croatia and abroad, since 2000 it has been holding its own concert series broadcast live on Croatian Radio Channel 3. From the leadership of its first conductors, namely Zlatko Černjul, Miroslav Killer, Milivoj Körbler and Nikica Kalogjera, through Miljenko Prohaska who had led it for over thirty years, to Silvije Glojnarić, Saša Nestorović and Andreas Marinello, the orchestra gained prominence as one of the most influential Croatian jazz ensembles. Since the 2019/2020 season, its Artistic Director has been Miron Hauser.

The orchestra had its first appearance on the international scene in Cologne in 1955. This was followed by tours in Bulgaria, Poland and the former USSR, performances at jazz festivals in Frankfurt and Nagykanisza, and in Munich in 1972 as part of the cultural and entertainment program at the Olympics. Its performance at the Jazz Festival in Bled in 1962 marked a new stage in the orchestra’s activities with a focus on its own repertoire. Based on this new concept, which was initiated by Miljenko Prohaska, the orchestra has developed a specific, internationally recognizable style. This practice continues today through the competition project New Compositions for the HRT Jazz Orchestra, concerts authored by the orchestra members and numerous collaborations with Croatian musicians from various genres. At the same time, leading musicians from the international jazz scene regularly make guest appearances as soloists and conductors, including Art Farmer, Clark Terry, Ted Curson, Johnny Griffin, Sal Nistico, Ernie Wilkins, Kai Winding, Ed Neumeister, John Lewis, Art Taylor, Lucky Thompson, Ignacio Berroa, Jon Faddis, Georgie Fame, Boris Kozlov, Lars Møller and others. In the past few seasons alone, the orchestra has collaborated with such greats as Terell Stafford, Ernie Watts, Bart van Lier, Luis Bonilla, Alan Broadbent, Christian McBride, Edward Palermo, Abhijit Banerjee and Kale Ramnath, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Arturo Sandoval. As one of the most influential jazz ensembles on the Croatian music scene, the orchestra is also a genuine nucleus of top jazz musicians, many of whom are not only performers, but also composers and arrangers.

Its numerous concert performances and profuse discography include collaborations with some of the most prominent figures on Croatian music scene, most recently with Chui, Tamara Obrovac, Darko Rundek, TBF, Psihomodo pop, Cubismo, Zvjezdan Ružić and Darko Rundek.

Among the recent album releases are Stavi pravu stvar with Marko Tolja, Chui ovu glazbu, with the band Chui, Miracles, with musicians Lana Janjanin and Dina Rizvić, Organic Intelligence with Joe Kaplowitz, Tumbao with Cubismo, Villa Idola with the Tamara Obrovac Transhistria Ensemble and Giant's Freedom with Zvjezdan Ružić. Their most recent albums include the Porin awarded Insite  with Davor Križić (Aquarius Records/HRT), Za vašu posljepodnevnu razonodu  with Darko Rundek (Menart/HRT), Nešto veće od nas  with Mangroove (Aquarius Records), Dino Dvornik Tribute  (HRT/Croatia Records), Candide  with Mario Bočić (Croatia Records/HRT) as well as Christmas Around the World  with HRT Choir and Symphony orchestra strings (HRT).