b. Bojan Zulfikarpasic, 2 February 1968, Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Playing piano from early childhood, Zulfikarpasic chose jazz as his genre although he is accomplished in classical music, having studied classical bass playing. He has also played Fender Rhodes since 1981, and earlier played drums in a rock band. At the age of 11 he studied English in the UK and moved to France at 20 where he soon attracted attention with his rich and eclectic repertoire, he has absorbed folk music of eastern Europe, as well as through his commanding performing style. He played in Paris with Trash Corporation, and also as sideman with Nguyên Lê, Julien Lourau, Michel Portal and Henri Texier. Among other musicians with whom Zulfikarpasic has worked and sometimes recorded are guitarist Vlatko Stefanovski, bass players Scott Colley, Steve Swallow and Rémi Vignolo and drummers Joey Baron, Nasheet Waits, Ben Perowsky and Ari Hoenig. Among pianists for whom Zulfikarpasic has declared his admiration are jazzmen Duke Ellington, Red Garland, Wynton Kelly and McCoy Tyner, and also the classicist Alfred Brendel. Zulfikarpasic composes some of the themes he performs and ably displays his virtuoso technique with taste and discretion. In 1990 he won first prize at the Concours de La Défense as soloist and 12 years later was honoured with the title Chevalier Des Arts Et Des Lettres. In 2006 he became European Jazz Artist Of The Year and in that same year toured internationally, especially finding success in Japan and south-east Asia. He has also played several times at the Sarajevo Jazz Festival.