After having the opportunity to play in numerous clubs, as well as at events throughout the region, the Montenegrin jazz band MP Trio will play as part of the first evening of the tenth international festival “Guitar Days in Podgorica”. Tonight in the Great Hall of the KIC, the band consisting of Miladin Perunicic - guitar, Ivan Ivanovic - drums and Davor Novak - bass will perform after the duo from the Czech Republic, and the repertoire will not be limited to the jazz for which they are known, but the audience can expect a dynamic, genre-diverse musical experience.
"We have the honor of opening the tenth anniversary festival, Days of the Guitar, in Podgorica, together with the duo Brillante Corde from the Czech Republic. The festival is known for the widest range of styles that can be performed on the guitar in general, both classical and electric. We will present ourselves dominantly with our original compositions, and the sound we will present will be a slightly more energetic fusion performance. So a mixture of jazz, rock, blues, and even traditional overtones," reveals Ivan Ivanović, who will be playing what the audience will hear tonight.
MP Trio is focused on the sound of the guitar and rhythm section, and at the concert at KIC you will have a guest on keyboards. When asked how much he will influence the trio's sound, Ivanović answers:
“MP trio named the band after the initials of the soloist Miladin Peruničica (MP-trio), so the guitar is of course in the foreground when it comes to our gig. However, for this concert, as well as for some previous ones, we decided to invite our long-time friend and collaborator Božidar Bol Martinović from Kotor to share the big stage of KIC. The focus will still be on the guitar sound, but the arrangements will be adapted for a quartet and Bole will certainly have enough space to express himself", the interlocutor of "Vijesti" has no doubt.
Although the guitar as an instrument in Montenegro enjoys great attention and even has several festivals at the national level, as does the piano, one gets the impression that many other instruments have remained in the shadows in this regard. While guitarists and pianists regularly gather at events that provide them with space for affirmation and international exchange, it seems that performers on other instruments do not have enough opportunities to present their work in a similar way and attract a new audience. Regarding the extent to which musicians who play other instruments are neglected in this regard, Ivanović says:
"Thematic festivals are always a good thing for affirming a certain segment, which the festival deals with. It is certainly useful that each instrument, as well as each musical genre, has its own, but despite the large number of festivals in Montenegro, I think that we are still a small society and a market for more new festivals. It would be better if the program offer within the framework of already existing and developed festivals were expanded, so that we could get new content," he advises.
MP Trio began their career performing in clubs, but in recent years they have been appearing more and more frequently at large events such as "Guitar Days in Podgorica". Ivanović points out that such engagements are a strong incentive for creating original music, but emphasizes that it is most important for them to be on stage as often as possible, because only through continuous performances can the audience truly hear them, get to know them, and follow their development.
"We've played more in clubs, but we're no strangers to big stages either. Clubs are always more intimate, the audience is closer, the interaction is more frequent, the atmosphere is more relaxed. However, a big stage carries a seriousness, and therefore a greater responsibility. We love both, and both variants equally motivate us to move forward, to create and survive," claims Ivanović.
Every year, the Guitar Days feature a lot of different performers. The program is diverse and truly offers a wide spectrum when it comes to sound. However, what is important is always the opportunity for local talents to show off. Given that not all festivals have this concept, and that local performers are often there to fill out the program, such events where they are on an equal footing with other performers motivate them to show off not only in front of the audience, but also to their colleagues from abroad.
"Of course, in this way we have achieved phenomenal collaborations and so far have had the opportunity to hang out and play with some of the biggest names in regional and world music, as well as with lesser-known, but no less brilliant colleagues. What is important, and this topic has been current in recent days due to the dominant foreign names at our events, is that as many festivals, shows, and program schemes engage musicians from the domestic music scene as possible," concludes Ivanović.
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