French jazzman Bojan Z opens FrancoPhil 2013

MANILA, Philippines - French jazz pianist Bojan Z performs on Feb. 28, 8 p.m., at The Ayala Museum as part of the French-Philippine cultural program dubbed as FrancoPhil, presented by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, the Alliance Française de Manille and L’Oréal Professionnel.

Bojan Z is one of the most prominent, acclaimed and multi-awarded European jazz pianists today, and undoubtedly one of the most inventive and talented jazzmen of his time.

Born in Belgrade in 1968, Bojan Zulfikarpasic learned to play the piano when he was 5. In 1986, he was given a scholarship to study music in New York and went on to enter the Paris Conservatory 2 years later. He has been based in France for the last 25 years while continuing to travel around the world.

Bojan Z creates his own kind of jazz bringing a modern vibe to piano music by mixing acoustic sounds from modern jazz or classic standards (such as Duke Ellington) with the electro sound of his Xenophone (a modified Fender, an instrument of his own invention) and sounds reminiscent of his native Balkan origins.

For his Asian tour, Bojan Z will play songs from his latest album, “Soul Shelter” (Polydor, 2012), for which he was awarded a Victoire du Jazz for Best Jazz Artist in 2012, and from his second solo album, “Solobsession.” After Manila, he is also set to perform in Cebu on March 2.

The Bojan Z concert is organized by the the Embassy of France to the Philippines, the Alliance Française de Manille and L’Oréal Professionnel with the support of the Philippine International Jazz Festival, the Ayala Museum, Lyric and the Picasso Boutique Serviced Residences.

This jazz performance is the first in a line of events for FrancoPhil, the French-Philippine cultural program. Since 2010, FrancoPhil has been a venue for exchange between French and Filipino experts in culture and the arts while showcasing both up-and-coming and exceptional artists and their artworks to the Philippine public.

For information on Bojan Z or FrancoPhil, call Sabrina Durand, AfM cultural coordinator at 895-7585 or visit www.facebook.com/pages/Af-de-Manille and www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyManila.