Iris Vladimir Kostadinovic feat. Ben Wendel, Alex Sipiagin, Joe Locke, Geoffrey Keezer, Matt Brewer, Chris Potter

• 1 Iris 10:06
• 2 The World Keeps Ending and the World Keeps Going On 08:20
• 3 Unborn Child 08:05
• 4 Is There A Heart In This House? 06:14
• 5 Echoes In Eternity 06:29
• 6 Collectors In Emotions 06:05
• 7 Airegin 07:51
• Total Runtime 53:10

Info for Iris

“After listening to this great recording by Vladimir Kostadinovic and this stellar group of high-level musicians, the music gives me a sense of freedom. You no longer hear that too often when people play. The sound of freedom is what jazz and improvisation is all about.” – George Garzone

“It was a great session, a great combination of musicians. Real New York jazz. Everybody loved Vladimir’s music and had equal respect for each other. He’s an excellent modern drummer, who also uses some folk elements from his homeland that add a different flavor. His compositions are amazing – so beautiful, creative and different. He’s a great musician.” – Alex Sipiagin

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to get my head around how European musicians can sound like they were born and raised in an American urban center, and Vladimir is one of those guys. He has a beautiful, wide scope. He’s deeply rooted in the tradition and swings really hard, but at the same time, he’s very much a modernist. He wrote beautiful music, some of it very ecstatic and deeply heart-imbued, and a couple that are quite tricky and possess a lot of intellectual rigor. All of it is beautiful. And he put together an absolute all-star band. Everybody came and just played music.” – Joe Locke

Vladimir Kostadinovic compares his experience during the September 5, 2024 session in New York’s Samurai Studios that gestated this tour de force – titled Iris for his daughter, then 8 years old – to the pressure of competing in the Olympic Games.

“You have only one chance,” says the 44-year-old Vienna-based drummer. Everybody believes in you. Don’t mess up now. We had one rehearsal. I come from a small place in Europe where we don’t have that many opportunities to play NBA games with players-musicians of this capacity. You play a tour for one week, two weeks maximum, and then you have to wait a month. These musicians are challenged every single day. They grab you and you are safe.”

Characterful and original, “Iris” is a sensational album from Vladimir Kostadinovic. Highly recommended listening that takes us on a shared personal journey, it’s a deeply rewarding album and one of the musical highlights of the year. 5 Stars" (UK VIBE by Mike Gates)

“After listening to this great recording IRIS by Vladimir Kostadinovic and this stellar group of high-level musicians, the music gives me a sense of freedom. You no longer hear that too often when people play. The sound of freedom is what jazz and improvisation is all about.” (GEORGE GARZONE)

"Kostadinovic comes off as an imaginative drummer filling in space, stimulating the frontline and urging it on. His imagination raises the quotient, as he sets up different stylistic paths to the signpost of resolution". (AllAboutJazz)

Vladimir Kostadinovic, drums
Ben Wendel, tenor saxophone
Alex Sipiagin, trumpet
Joe Locke, vibraphone
Geoffrey Keezer, piano
Matt Brewer, bass
Chris Potter, tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2)

Recorded September 5, 2024 in Astoria, NY, USA
Recording, editing, mixing, mastering by Michael Marciano
Produced by Jerry Teekens

Vladimir Kostadinovic
s one of most recognized contemporary jazz musicians worldwide — A Serbian award-winning drummer and composer with a deeply personal style who has been highly active as a sideman with some of the world’s most renowned jazz musicians. His powerful groove, refined musicality, and deep understanding of both jazz tradition and modern expression have made him a sought-after collaborator on both sides of the Atlantic. Over the years, he has built a strong international presence by performing, touring, and recording with world-class artists in some of the most respected jazz settings across Europe and the United States.

His latest album, Iris, released on the legendary Criss Cross Jazz label, features an all-star lineup including Chris Potter, Ben Wendel, Joe Locke, Matt Brewer, Alex Sipiagin, and Geoffrey Keezer, and showcases his distinctive voice as both drummer and composer on the world jazz stage. He has performed and recorded with iconic artists such as Chris Potter, Benny Golson, George Garzone, Gregory Porter, Antonio Farao, Dusko Gojkovic, Charles Tolliver, David Kikoski, Chico Freeman, Joe Locke, Seamus Blake, Kevin Hays, Jim Rotondi, Till Brönner, Melisa Aldana, Jane Monheit, Ben Wendel, Geoffrey Keezer, Soweto Kinch, Dominique Di Piazza, Jimmy Greene, Mike Moreno, Jonathan Kreisberg, Didier Lockwood, John Ellis and many others.

This album contains no booklet.