PREMIERE of the video by the trio “The Tribevibers”: They want to bring jazz closer to the younger generation

The love of jazz brought together Montenegrin drummer Slaven Ljujić, pianist Karim Blalo and double bassist Gabriel Pjer, and the crowning achievement of their collaboration was the album “Volume One”, which they promoted a few months ago as part of the Jazz Appreciation Month. Now, this shared musical journey is getting a visual continuation through the album’s video for the song “TV Blues”, shot during their concert in Rome.

"We are very proud that we managed to record an album and a video session in the studio in such a short time. Today, it is difficult to reach an audience without video material, because people connect much more with the visual than with the audio format alone. In April, we had our first serious jazz tour, where we played our first joint album and presented the compositions that will be found on the album 'Volume Two'. We are very satisfied with the audience's reactions to our music. People recognize and love the energy that the three of us share, as well as the kind of brotherhood and unity that exists between us. This instills a certain amount of security in both the audience and us. That circulation of love and respect between us, as well as the sincere desire and will for joint musical creation, is simply palpable," says Slaven Ljujić in an interview for "Vijesti".

Jazz is known for its improvisation and the freedom it gives musicians to create something new in every performance. It is this space for spontaneity that allows the same composition to take on a different energy and character each time. When asked how much the compositions from the album “Volume One” have changed during the gigs to date, Slaven reveals:

“From the first gigs, when we were just getting to know each other and mostly performing jazz standards and music by other artists that we personally love, we came to create our own music. Playing together, exchanging ideas and freedom in thinking allowed us to play with arrangements, change compositions and explore different possibilities. Today we already speak the language of the 'Tibavibers' fluently. From the first performances until today, we have built not only our own musical language, but also a special connection and cohesion between the three of us. I think that is what the audience reacts to the most and recognizes that energy. It is a living matter that is constantly developing and improving.”

The first song from the album to receive a video available on their YouTube channel is the composition "TV Blues", with which "Tribevibers" present their musical expression for the first time through a visual format, and why they chose this particular track and what makes it so characteristic, Ljujić reveals:

"For the first composition, we chose 'TV Blues', which is basically blues, but with a touch of hip-hop and a pronounced rhythm. It is, in the truest sense, chill-jazz music that goes beyond what the audience often understands as jazz. Jazz today has taken on many different forms and has been influenced by numerous genres, so it is wrong to view it as music intended only for older generations. With the first composition, we wanted to make contact with the younger audience through a rhythm that is familiar and close to them, and at the same time present our way of combining different musical influences. We wanted to offer the audience something that would relax them during these warm summer days," explains Ljujić.

The new video comes ahead of a series of performances that “The Tribevibers” are expecting throughout August. On August 15, they will play at the Propaganda Bar in Nikšić, a day later they will move to Gornja Lastva in Tivat, while on August 18 they will perform at the Jazz Club Evergreen in Kotor. Thanks to numerous performances, The Tribevibers have perfected the program, and new compositions have been created.

“As someone who leads and organizes trio performances, I try to constantly find new gig opportunities for us. Nowadays, it is a serious undertaking that requires a lot of daily work, especially when you are collaborating with people who live far away from you. You need to coordinate calendars, find performances and agree on financial terms, and none of that is easy,” admits Ljujić, adding that the Tribavibers welcome each performance with a lot of love and respect.

"We are grateful for every opportunity, because at each of these performances we grow and progress as musicians. Every time something new happens. When we don't see each other for a while, we want to play together even more, and each meeting brings a special energy. Then we realize again how much we love playing together and I think that is the most beautiful part of it all. Karim and Gabriel have fallen in love with Montenegro, because we have performed the most here and in the Balkans in general, but we want to present our music outside of this region soon. We plan to enter the European scene, but also to take our music to the East and the West. I believe that from all of this a new spirit will always be born and take on a new form," concludes Ljujić.