Duško Gojković

Duško Gojković (born 1931) is a Serbian trumpeter, who established himself as a key figure in European jazz from the 1950s. He was born in Jajce in what was then Yugoslavia, but is now part of Bosnia-Herzegovina. He studied music in Belgrade, graduating in 1953. After playing with the Radio Belgrade dance band, he moved to Germany and was soon touring with the German All-Stars, attracting plaudits at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival in 1956. Gojković joined Kurt Edelhagen‘s big band in 1957, becoming a featured soloist. He was part of an all-star International band at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958, alongside George Gruntz, Albert Mangelsdorff, Bernt Rosengren, Ronnie Ross and Gabor Szabo.

In 1961, Gojković recorded with a pared down Francy Boland-Kenny Clarke group, which was released in Yugoslavia. Later that year he moved to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music. Graduating in 1963, he played with Maynard Ferguson and Woody Herman before returning to Europe to release his ‘proper’ debut album as a leader Swinging Macdedonia in 1966. This was perhaps the first attempt to fuse jazz with Balkan melodies, creating a jazz album that was truly European, though two Americans make significant contributions – saxophonist Nathan Davis and pianist Mal Waldron. He was with the Clarke-Boland big band for most of the late 1960s, but also led his own groups featuring players of the calibre of trombonist Slide Hampton and pianist Tete Montoliou. Gojković formed a jazz orchestra in 1986, and in the 1990s recorded some well received straightahead albums like Soul Connection (1994) with Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Heath, Eddie Gomez and Mickey Roker; and Bebop City (1995) with Ralph Moore, Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond and Alvin Queen. A 1997 live album with a European band and arrangements by Palle Mikkelborg, saw a return to his Balkan roots. He has recorded prolifically, throughout his caree. His most recent release, made in 2015 at the age of 84, was an album recorded in Germany with Scott Hamilton.

Key Recordings:
With Francy Boland-Kenny Clarke
Swinging Macedonia (Philips 1967)
Slavic Mood (RCA 1975)
Soul Connection (Enja 1994)