Flama Negra by Aleksander Kuzmic

Guitarist, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Aleksander Kuzmić was born in Maribor, Slovenia to a music-loving family; his mother, a singer, had him listening to Balkan traditionnals all through his youth, a taste that has followed him ever since. After a few years of singing in his primary school choir, Aleks joined an English-language theatre group where he sang in well-known musicals (Cats, Hair, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera…), then going on to join the theatre troup Gnosis where he held leading roles in shows like Clockwork Orange, Alamut or Brave New World.
In parralel to his singing/acting talents, he picked up the guitar at the age of 12, quickly started performing in high school bands and after a long trip to Australia, performing and recording with a local group, he decided to get serious about what was clearly his passion. Upon his return, he founded with violinist Petra Onderufová and flautist Martin Klančič the band Space Trippers; he also joined Karavana Iluzij, a fusion-jazz-latino-balkan band with whom he recorded an album and toured around Europe. He then went on to record his debut solo album Ognjeni Veter.
The next  step on his musical journey was Africa: in Mali he discovered the traditional N’Goni (a cousin of the Cora) which he learned and brought home with him; on the way back, he discovered the beauty of Flamenco in Granada (Spain), where he was taught by local guitarists in masterclasses and lessons. As a result of his travels, he has created a deeply unique and groovy personal style, infusing the styles that he encountered along the way into his Balkan roots.
Bringing his new experiences with Flamenco to bear, he went on to record The Bridge, an album of improvisations with cellist Toby Kuhn. Not wanting to limit himself stylistically, he recorded Funky Love with the band Dirty Sanchez, an ethno-funky-latino ensemble of which he is the founder and lead singer, and with which he performed extensively in Slovenia and abroad, collaborating with such musicians as Steve Stevens among many others. He is a founding member of the group Wild Strings Trio, with whom he recorded their first album, Lost Weekend in 2016.
Aleksander still performs with theatre groups, making music for the shows; beyond his guitar and his voice, he plays the N’Goni and the Buzuki, as well as various flutes like the Kaval, Bansuri, Hulusi and the western classical flute. He strives now and always to be welcoming and open to the new sound experiences enriching his artistic path.

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