Monday, 17 November 2025
Gregor Ftičar: Black Smoke Suite
New Album Out NOW
The Black Smoke Suite is a new project by Slovenian pianist and composer Gregor Ftičar, created to mark the 25th anniversary of the twinning between Kamnik (Slovenia) and Trofaiach (Austria). The two towns share a little-known but powerful historical thread: during World War I, the production of black gunpowder was moved from Kamnik to Trofaiach, forging a connection that later grew into a long-standing cultural partnership.
Drawing inspiration from this history, Ftičar composed a suite of modern jazz pieces that paint sonic fragments of the old gunpowder factories - imagined scenes, echoes of memory, and the quiet mystery suggested by the title Black Smoke. The music shifts between rhythmic energy, atmospheric textures, and lyrical passages that blur the boundaries between storytelling and improvisation.
Reflecting the project’s cross-border spirit, the ensemble brings together musicians from both countries:
Gregor Ftičar piano
Klemens Marktl drums
Philipp Zarfl double bass
Aleksander Sever vibraphone
The quartet first premiered the music live in Trofaiach and Kamnik in May 2024. With the generous support of both municipalities and the Celinka label, the project was brought into the studio - preserving a unique story through sound.
The Black Smoke Suite stands at the intersection of heritage and contemporary jazz: grounded, imaginative, and shaped by the drifting veil of history.
Recorded in ArteSuono Recording Studio, Udine (I)
June 20 & 21, 2025