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Alexander Zonjic
Alexander Zonjic’s musical life is proof that one’s true destiny isn’t always revealed the minute a youngster picks up his first instrument. Growing up in Windsor, Ontario and excited by all the music of the British invasion, he launched his guitar dreams at age nine and was playing lead guitar in an R&B band in high school. The story goes that at age 21, when Zonjic was home on hiatus from a rock tour, a stranger on the street who had seen him play guitar offered him a flute ? most likely stolen ? for 50 dollars. Zonjic got it for nine. “I liked how it looked in the case,” Zonjic recalls. “I saw mastering it as a challenge and found an immediate passion and all-encompassing desire to play it. I had the nerve to audition with it for the new University of Windsor music program and got in on a probationary basis. That’s where I started my classical training.”
University instructors soon recognized Zonjic as a gifted student and recruited the second flutist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as a teacher for their promising scholar. Upon graduation, Zonjic continued his studies under the tutelage of Ervin Monroe, principle flutist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. During these years, Zonjic attended school during the day, worked as a rock guitarist by night and even found time to teach others how to play the flute. Over the years, Zonjic has performed with orchestras nationwide, including The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, The Windsor Symphony Orchestra, The Florida Symphony Orchestra and many others. His classical career includes collaborating on three projects with Monroe: The Classical Album (1981), The Christmas-themed Pipers Holiday (1995) and Night (1997).
On the jazz side, while playing at Baker’s Keyboard Lounge in Detroit, Zonjic met Bob James, who was so impressed that he asked the young flutist to join his band. The collaboration began a decade’s worth of international touring in the ‘80s, later leading to two recordings in the ‘90s. His Warner Brothers debut, Neon (1990), featured James, and Earl Klugh and was produced by Kirk Whalum. Zonjic’s 1993 followup, Passion, which featured vocalist Angela Bofill, was an investigation of several musical periods and styles. Zonjic actually began recording in 1978 with an eclectic, self-funded, self-titled project that featured everything from Beatles tunes to jazz standards. Other recordings in his catalog include Elegant Evening (1982), Romance with You (1984), and When Is It Real (1987).
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Alexander Zonjic & Friends At Middle C Jazz
by Mark Sullivan
Alexander Zonjic & Friends Middle C Jazz Charlotte, NC December 21, 2019 Flutist Alexander Zonjic was born in Canada, but has made his home in jny: Detroit for many years. As he was tuning his guitar onstage he chatted with audience members from Windsor (there were several), and from Detroit (lots of those, too, including this writer). He recalled making his first trip to Charlotte in 1985 to play in Jonathan's Jazz Cellar (run by ...
read moreAlexander Zonjic: Doin' the D
by Jeff Winbush
Last year it had the highest murder rate in America. The mayor resigned in disgrace following a sex scandal and went to prison. Its football team won all its games in the preseason and went on to lose every game in the regular season. That's how things went for the city of Detroit last year and boy, could it use a hug.
Along comes Alexander Zonjic with flute in hand and big bouquet of roses for a town that's often ...
read moreAlexander Zonjic: Seldom Blues
by Woodrow Wilkins
Alexander Zonjic is a fine flutist who typically surrounds himself with top-notch talent. His latest recording, Seldom Blues , is no exception. It features brothers Kirk and Kevin Whalum, Angela Bofill and Earl Klugh, among others. However, its shortcoming is a formulaic approach to the rhythm tracks. There's nothing wrong with using modern tools to enhance one's musical efforts, but there are times when it can become trite. Seldom Blues unfortunately does just that. With Bob James given ...
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