The Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra

The only traditional jazz Orchestra in the Balkans, since 2001.

25 years on stage
6 albums
350 performances on record
8 musicians

About us

About the Orchestra

The Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra was founded in 2001 as we entered into a new millennium. Just when everybody thought that this wonderful type of jazz had forever died out in our country, some strong force kindled eight brave people to save from oblivion and keep this wonderful and winsome music from the turn of the last century alive for the public.

From this faint, lonely and shimmering light of hope, The Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra quickly grew into an important cultural institution in Serbia’s capital, becoming the unique representative of this musical form in the country. As the only Orchestra of its type in the country, it is directly responsible for the Dixieland’s triumphant revival from the foundations built for decades by jazzmen from the Balkans.

And how did it all begin? As some of the first local performers of Dixieland claim, Dixieland came to the parts of the former Yugoslavia and shyly sneaked into the ears of listeners way back in 1953. Looking at the calendar a half of century has passed since that wonderful moment! Under the influence of the legendary film “Bathing Beauty” many Dixieland orchestras popped up like mushrooms around the country. We were rapidly overcome by an unbelievable atmosphere of delight, optimism and a completely new sound, which no one had ever felt before…

The Belgrade Dixieland Orchestra on stage

The Orchestra

Aleksandra Bijelić
Miloš Milosavljević
Ivan Maksimović
Aleksandar Miletić
Sava Matić
Nemanja Zlatarev
Veljko Klenkovski
Vladimir Racković

Discography

Six albums recorded between 2004 and 2015. Marked tracks can be previewed.

2015

ALL THAT JASS
Tracks (12)
1. Dixieland Jass Band One-Step
2. Bill Bailey
3. Mamie’s Blues
4. Indiana
5. I Found a New Baby
6. Everybody Loves my Baby
7. Nobody Knows You when You’re Down’n’Out
8. Cake Walking Babies
9. Black Bottom
10. The Charleston
11. Flee as a Bird to Your Mountain
12. Didn’t He Ramble
Recording credits

All arrangements by Sava Matić, Ivan Švager and Vladimir Racković
Special guest: Nemanja Zlatarev, trombone on tracks 4 and 8.
Recorded at „Odiseja“ recording studio, Belgrade, 2014.
Producer and sound engineer: Vladimir Racković
Digital mastering: Oliver Jovanović
2012

NATIONAL TREASURE
Order the album
Tracks (12)
Recording credits

“National Treasure” is the BDO project realized by all musicians since the band’s been fouded (January 2001):
Arrangements: Ivan Švager, Ljubomir Matijaca, Sava Matić and Vladimir Racković
Recorded at Studio VI, Radio Beograd, and ”Odiseja” recording studio, Belgrade
Producer: Vladimir Racković
Recording engineers: Zoran Marić, Vladimir Racković
Assistant engineer: Zsolt Virag
Digital Mastering: Oliver Jovanović
Art design: Jelena Labus
2010

What a Dixie We Have in Gospel
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Tracks (12)
Recording credits

All arrangements by Ivan Švager,
exept 12 by Vladimir Racković
Recorded at Studio VI, Radio Beograd, 2007.
Producer: Vladimir Racković
Recording engineers: Zoran Marić
Digital Mastering: Oliver Jovanović
Executive producer: Darco B.
Special guests:
Jelena Bračika
– lead vocals on tracks 1, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11
Golgota Gospel Choir
– tracks 5, 9 and 11
Miša Dostanić
– back vocals on track 6
2008

JAZZ MUSEUM
Tracks (12)
Recording credits

All arrangements by Ivan Švager, exept 12 by Vladimir Racković
Recorded at Studio VI, Radio Beograd, 2007.
Producer: Vladimir Racković
Recording engineers: Zoran Marić
Digital Mastering: Oliver Jovanović
Special guests:
Tamas Ittzes, stroh violin solo on »Sweet Georgia Brown«
Golgota Gospel Choir on »Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen«
Bodin Draškoci, trombone on tracks 1, 5, 7, 11 and 12
Bobana Đorđević, lead vocals on tracks 7, 9
Jelena Bračika, lead vocal on »Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen«
2006

MOON OVER BOURBON STREET
Tracks (12)
Recording credits

All arrangements by Ivan Švager, exept 1, 11 by Vladimir Racković and 2 by S. Matić
Recorded at Studio VI, Radio Beograd, February – March 2006.
Producer: Vladimir Racković
Recording engineers: Zoran Marić i Mirko Ramović
Digital Mastering: Oliver Jovanović
Special guests:
Bobana Đorđević, lead vocals on tracks 6, 7 and 12
Ivan Ilić, trombone solo on »St. Louis Blues«
2004

The BELGRADE DIXIELAND ORCHESTRA
Tracks (15)
15. Bonus track: St. James Infirmary live – Sava Center, 12. december 2003.
Recording credits

All arrangements by Lj. Matijaca , exept 1, 8, 11 by Vladimir Racković and 2, 10 by Ivan Švager
Recorded at Studio VI, Radio Beograd, autumn 2003.
Producer: Vladimir Racković
Recording engineer: Zoran Marić
“St. James Infirmary live” recorded by Bora Radojević
Guests: Srđan Đorđevic – upright bass (5, 6)
Dejan Stojadinović – upright bass (7, 12, 13)
Special thanks to Vladana Marković for assistance in producing Jelena’s vocals