Interviews

30 year of Gerzina’s musical journey

The world famous Croatian saxophonist Igor Gerzina has recently celebrated his 30th year Anniversary as a devoted saxophonist, with a big concert at Kerempuh theatre.

When he was just 7, Igor started playing violin in his primary school, starting his first musical experience. His first teacher didn’t pay much attention regarding his techniques on how he plays a violin, but she encouraged him to perform on every school event. In a span of 10 years, Igor have already won many prizes, but later for some unknown reason he stopped playing & violin wasn’t his priority anymore. So he took another path in his musical journey, a journey that will help him realize what his life dreams are.

At the age of 15, I decided that I want to play violin for fun, but then suddenly something changed and I started to take this genre & music much more seriously and so my playing improved. But then I realized that music means life, so I found my purpose. I’ve graduated classical music at the music academy of Zagreb and afterwards I went to Berkley College of music in Boston to study jazz. During my classes there I was already in few bands playing pop, rock, jazz and soul music.

Listening to certain music is a state of mind that defines who we are. Igor’s first influence was David Bowie, which is the main reason why he got into jazz and playing the saxophone, but Igor also knew how to perceive jazz and penetrate his soul.

I really liked that Young Americans album where David Sanborn was playing sax. It was really something. That album had such a good soul sound that immediately cough me and I was already hooked. I also recall listening to Grover Washington Jr’s records back in the day. I was so into Coltrane as well, Miles, later it was Keith Jarret, but I always had that music urge towards funky-soul sound. I was also into Steve Wonder, Prince, Earth Wind & Fire, Maceo Parker

This famous saxophonist despite his many musical outputs, he has released over hundred other songs,and he was featured as a guest with many other musicians. All this compositions contributed in a way that this 30th year anniversary to be so special and unforgettable experience for his devoted fans. To make this anniversary even more unforgettable Igor saluted his many associates and friends for such a successful anniversary ever.

On a recent concert I had in a theatre, 500 people were ovulating on their feet for my last 2 songs

This already established saxophonist is finally preparing his latest album hopefully to be released soon, maybe in spring.

My newest album is already in the process of making. I hope it gets released in the spring. It took me quite some time to create this special bend, and finally I feel like I have a great team around me, so I can work on new shows outside my country

Igor Gerzina (photo M.Kociper)

Igor says that his inspiration most of the time is acquired by accident.

Usually when I’m on my deadlines, when I have to create certain sound in a short period of time for something specifically, that’s when magic happens. Usually my best songs are composed at the end of making the album in the last hours, when I already mix the finished tracks

His best critics are probably the one he gets from the radio announcers, because he values their opinion and thinks they have a keen ear. He also respects when his closest one give him critics about his music.

I think radio announcers have quite a keen ear, meaning that they certainly know on a first listen if a song is good for public listening or not. At the end, that’s their job right? And I’m also curious to hear non-music related friends think of my music, like my wife, but to be honest, I always know when I create a good song. I just do

This famous jazz artist who’s constantly on the road says that there isn’t bad audience only bad performers, which is according to me quite true and accurate.

I remember once when I was playing my music in front of an audience that really weren’t into this sound, but if you have a honest attitude and good energy people will certainly notice that. During my Berkley studies, I had this situation in a little club in downtown Boston when I dared myself to get on stage with musicians who I felt were far more musically advanced then me then and was afraid that people won’t accept me as I thought at that time that I’m still not musically matured, and I was also a foreigner. But the crowd’s reactions was quite the opposite, they were blown away. I also recall playing with many famous Croatian pop stars, during many sport happenings and I always loved it

One of his top life quotes is one said by a very famous pop artist, quoting:

I have decided to create my own music, even though it is the worst in the world“

Igor has an advice for all of us who want to accomplish our dreams

Believe and positive thinking. And don’t listen to anybody! Especially when they say that you cannot do something