ELVIS AJDINOVIC ORKESTAR - PORTRAIT

The Elvis Ajdinovic Orkestar are a Roma brass band from Surdulica, a small town in southeast Serbia. Band leader is trumpeter Elvis Ajdinovic, one of the most famous Roma musicians in Serbia.

The band were established in 1970 by Demko Ajdinovic, the father of Elvis Ajdinovic. Father Demko grabbed the top spot as best tupan (oriental drum) player an incredible total of seven times at the annual Guca Festival, becoming a legend in his lifetime. Already at the age of 14, Elvis Ajdinovic was allowed to accompany his father on stage and at 16, officially became leader of the band. Within a very short time, he made his band one of the hottest brass formations in the entire Balkans and beyond. Elvis, too, of course won quite a few prizes at the annual Guca Festival, most recently in 2011 as best solo trumpeter. No less energetic are his brothers and cousins who likewise are among the best trumpet players of the genre and are part of the family tradition in Elvis’s band. With their unbridled virtuosity, they lend the band their unique power and intensity.

The band made their first recording in 2000 and in 2009, Elvis Ajdinovic was featured as a guest musician on the album of Serbian trumpet veteran Ekrem Sajdic (Elvis Sajdic pres. Gypsy Groovz - Tutti Mundi). The Elvis Ajdinovic Orkestar have performed several concerts abroad and are one of the most in-demand wedding brass bands in their homeland.

Band members:

Elvis Ajdinovic - Trumpet
Samir Ajdinovic - Trumpet
Srecko Ajdinovic - Trumpet
Sebastian Ajdinovic - Tenor Horn
Ivica Mustafic - Tenor Horn
Asim Ajdinovic - Tenor Horn
Zlatan Veselovic - Tenor Horn
Elvis Alisanovic - Helicon
Srdan Ajdinovic - Snare Drum
Stefan Demirovic - Tupan (Big Drum)

CDs:

2000 Elvis Ajdinovic Orkestar - Najbolji Novi Coceki
2009 Ekrem Sajdic pres. Gypsy Groovz - Tutti Mundi (guest musician)
2011 Elvis Ajdinovic Orkestar - Novi 2011

Awards:

Golden Trumpet, Guca Festival Competition: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2011