Radovan Tariška

Radovan Tariška, born on 14 August 1979 in Veľké Kozmálovce, Slovakia, is one of the distinctive figures of Slovak and Central European jazz. As a saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader and educator, he connects bebop, hard bop and modern jazz with Slovak folk material.

He has been playing since the age of five — first clarinet at the music school in Tlmače, then classical saxophone at the Žilina Conservatory. While still a student he performed with the Slovak Young Swing Generation Big Band at Bratislava Jazz Days. From 2001 he spent sixteen years in the Gustav Brom Big Band leading its saxophone section, and in 2002 he became the youngest ever recipient of the Jazzman of the Year award.

Born

14 August 1979, Veľké Kozmálovce

Instruments

Alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet as a child

Education

Music school Tlmače (1991 - 1994), Žilina Conservatory (1994 - 1998)

Award

Jazzman of the Year 2002 - the youngest holder in its history

Discography

40+ recordings as leader, co-leader and sideman

Producer

Hanka G - Reflections of My Soul (2007), David Hodek - The First (2010)

As a leader he runs his own projects Hot House (2001), Duo Elements (2006), Radovan Tariška Sextet (2010), Folklore to Jazz (2013) and Modal Trap (2020). He also plays in the Peter Lipa Band, the Matúš Jakabčic CZ-SK Big Band, the Andreas Varady Quartet and the international Visegrad Jazz Exchange quartet.

His projects have been heard at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, the Jazz Plaza festival in Havana, the Shanghai Conservatory, the Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Sunside club in Paris. Alongside his own albums he appears on more than forty recordings as a collaborator, guest and arranger, and as a producer he signed albums by Hanka G and David Hodek.