Gasper Bertoncelj is an internationally acclaimed drummer. His musical education started in Slovenia, by playing trumpet. In his early teens he switched to drums. Already at age thirteen Gasper was playing drums with local jazz ensembles. His reputation was slowly building up and his playing soon became in high demand on the Slovene music scene.
The passion for music lead him to Linz, Austria where he studied music at Bruckner University. Doug Hammond, his mentor, revealed to Gasper deeper layers of jazz and music in general. Upon graduation with honors he convinced Gasper to move to New York. Two years later Gasper received a Master of Arts degree from The City College of New York where his main mentors were Victor Lewis, Billy Drummond, Andy Watson and John Patitucci. Gasper started performing in New York the first year he came there and by the time he graduated he was able to proudly support himself by playing drums professionally around the city.
Gasper's strength is definitely his versatility and creativity in music. While Jazz gives him the musical freedom of expression which demands the highest level of musicality and control of the instrument, other genres like Blues, Country & Western, Rock'n'Roll, Latin and Gypsy Swing, Funk, R'n'B, among others, give him a chance to connect with people on different levels.
Drummer Gasper Bertoncelj is from Slovenia, but his musical allegiances skew more toward hardbop than Eastern Europe – New York magazine All About Jazz wrote about him. Gasper has been playing in many projects in USA and Europe. while leading his groups that feature his compositions and arrangements.
Eslovenia