May 11-13, 2026
Peti kupe
Three Days of Musical Abundance: The 36th JazzHR Festival Closed by the Outstanding Valerija Nikolovska
The spring edition of the JazzHR Festival, organized by the Croatian Composers’ Society, concluded on Wednesday, May 13, at Peti kupe with a brilliant performance by Valerija Nikolovska, one of the most recognizable vocalists on the Croatian soul and jazz scene, accompanied by her equally outstanding band. Over the course of three days, the jazz-decorated stage of Peti kupe hosted a remarkable lineup of Croatian musicians: JazzIstra Orchestra in collaboration with the legendary Pula-based band Nola, Goran Jurić and Zrinka Barić with their conceptual album Metal, the cult improvisational trio Folkestra, reunited after a long hiatus, and the young musicians and vocalists of the HGM Jazz Orchestra Next Generation, who filled the stage to capacity. Between concerts and late into the evenings, Vinyl Sessions featured selections by singer and multi-instrumentalist Leo Beslać, DJ Crazypack – the alter ego of singer and producer Kristijan Beluhan – and longtime DJ and radio host Tomo Ricov.
The Pula-based band Nola has maintained a consistent presence on the music scene for more than three decades, earning the affection of both audiences and critics. At the festival’s opening concert, the band performed its greatest hits in new arrangements by JazzIstra Orchestra, known for blending jazz with Istrian musical heritage and the repertoires of cult regional bands and songwriters such as Atomsko sklonište, KUD Idijoti, Franci Blašković, and others. This time, JazzIstra Orchestra dedicated itself to Nola’s repertoire, performing songs such as Želim te u naručju, Do kraja, Iznad oblaka, Kišobran, and the timeless hit Dio tebe, originally released in 1995, only a year after the band was founded. The group’s leading duo – singer Gabrijela Galant Jelenić and guitarist Marijan Jelenić, partners both in life and music – shared onstage chemistry shaped through decades of collaboration. JazzIstra Orchestra gave their melodic pop songs a new dimension, enriching them with the warmth, depth, and grandeur of a big band sound.
The festival continued on Tuesday, May 12, with a performance by Goran Jurić and Zrinka Barić, who presented their conceptual album Metal, a sonic journey through imaginary worlds woven from elements of jazz, improvisation, and classical music. After a ten-year hiatus, Folkestra also returned to the stage this spring – a trio of exceptional jazz musicians consisting of Teo Martinović (keyboards, vocals), Žiga Golob (bass guitar, double bass, vocals), and Kruno Levačić (drums, voice, rhythmic and spoken interventions). Their appearance at the JazzHR Festival was a rare opportunity for fans to experience this improvisational ensemble live once again. Folkestra is often, and justifiably, described as dadaist: their performances are marked by unpredictability, vivid communication with the audience and among themselves, as well as elaborate stage costumes. Their repertoire ranges from songs from the album Corpus Delicti, released two decades ago, to adaptations of opera arias, sevdalinka songs such as U lijepom starom gradu Višegradu, and children’s classics like Zeko i potočić. Their improvisational chemistry was once again at its peak, joined onstage by guest cellist Mihaela Martinović, also Teo Martinović’s partner.
The festival’s final evening, Wednesday, May 13, continued this thread of artistic and personal partnerships with a performance by the exceptional vocalist Valerija Nikolovska and her band led by pianist Viktor Lipić, her longtime collaborator and partner. Joining them were some of Croatia’s finest musicians: drummer Janko Novoselić, bassist Marko Bradaš, guitarist Yogi Lonich, and the superbly inspired Ivan Bonačić, who delighted the audience with several saxophone and flute solos. Valerija performed songs from her latest EP Green Heart, which recently received the Porin award for Best Alternative Music Album, as well as many favorites from her rich discography. A highlight of the evening was Dark Night, while the only song performed in Croatian, Sebi, was dedicated to a friend in the audience.
Before Valerija Nikolovska’s concert, the stage was filled by members of the HGM Jazz Orchestra Next Generation – young musicians and vocalists led by trumpeter Zvonimir Bajević. The ensemble’s remarkable cohesion reflected the dedicated work of its mentor, who himself once honed his craft within the HGM Jazz Orchestra, long recognized as a breeding ground for outstanding jazz artists.
Media partner of the JazzHR Festival: glazba.hr.