PAVLE ZVEKIC

Pavle Zvekic is an NYC-based pianist, composer, teaching artist and member of the Steinway & Sons Teaching Directory, best known for his work as the bandleader of the original alternative rock band Voodoo Baby Aliens, his solo piano projects, and numerous credits as a sideman. He graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music (Bachelor’s) and the prestigious Berklee Global Jazz Institute (Master’s program). Since 2018, he has served as the artistic director of The Youth Jazz & Rock Festival, which he founded.

Zvekic’s musical career began extraordinarily early. At just 10 years old, he performed solo at the acclaimed international Jazzik Festival in Subotica, Serbia, and led Timebreakers, considered the youngest original band in Serbia, performing at the legendary Omladina Festival in 2011—a festival with a 60-year tradition. In his teenage years, he continued to lead original projects, including Iz Principa, his original jazz quintet, which performed at major festivals and venues such as the Nišville Festival in Niš, Serbia (2018), Budapest Jazz Club (2018), Jazzik Festival (2016, 2017, 2018), and the Omladina Festival (2017). He later became a member of the expert jury at the Omladina Festival in 2018 and 2019.

In his early musical development, Zvekic was drawn to contemporary music, which led him to pursue his initial education at the Music School in Subotica, Serbia. His early original compositions and piano performances earned him numerous accolades during his primary and secondary education. Notably, he received first place in the composition category at the Donne in Musica international competition in 2016, as well as first place in the piano category of the same competition, held in Kragujevac, Serbia, that same year. He also won first place in the jazz piano category at the Days of Music international competition in Bačka Topola for three consecutive years: 2016, 2017, and 2018.

In 2017, Zvekic began collaborating with the Serbian National Theater in Subotica as a composer, contributing to a range of theatrical productions. Notably, he composed music for Neparan Par (2024), a Serbian adaptation of Neil Simon’s classic The Odd Couple, directed by Olja Djordjevic. Their collaborations also include Greta, Stranica 89 (Greta, Page 89, 2022) and Prah (Dust, 2023), along with Adventures with Carlson (2018) and many others.

At just 17, Zvekic founded The Youth Jazz & Rock Festival, a three-day event in Subotica showcasing emerging performers and bands from the Balkans and beyond, alongside international artists studying at Berklee. By hosting Berklee students, alumni, and professors in Serbia for the first time, the festival created a unique space for long-term collaboration between Serbia and the USA. Notable Berklee-affiliated artists who have performed at the festival include Marco Pignataro, Vasil Hadzimanov, Marko Djordjevic, Juan Saus, and Ali Tahir.

Voodoo Baby Aliens, Zvekic’s twelve-member alternative rock band, was formed in 2022 with musicians from eight different countries whom he met while studying at Berklee College of Music. Known for its varied and often tumultuous sound—described by Zvekic as “interstellar jazz-punk”—the group draws influence from Queens of the Stone Age, Idles, Black Country, New Road, Kamasi Washington, Radiohead, and Black MIDI. Their debut album, Masonic Brunch, was released in December 2024, and they have since performed at numerous U.S. and international venues and festivals, including the Boston Progressive Jazz Festival, The Youth Jazz & Rock Festival, Arlene’s Grocery, Berlin Under A, The Lilypad, etc. Their regular performances at The Lilypad earned them a devoted Boston following, which has since extended to New York’s alternative scene.

Zvekic released his debut solo piano album, Small Hours, in November 2023—a live recording from the grand hall of Subotica City Hall, Serbia. His solo piano work explores a blend of contemporary classical language, jazz improvisation, and Balkan-folk influences, combining lyrical intimacy with moments of bold experimentation. He has also performed with established jazz figures, sharing the stage with notable musicians such as Russell Hall, Marco Pignataro, John Lockwood, Marko Djordjevic, David Fiuczynski, etc. In 2024, Zvekic performed at the Panama Jazz Festival, where he also taught masterclasses in improvisation and the history of jazz piano. He has since written and recorded new material, including his forthcoming album Downward Spiral Portrait, set for release in May 2027.

As a pianist, Zvekic’s recording credits span seven albums: Small Hours (2023), Voodoo Baby Aliens – Masonic Brunch (2024), Nikola Radonjic – Cross the Line (2021), Juan Saus’ Big Band – The Charts I Recorded With My Friends While in Boston (2025), Martina Sabariego – Forces & Battlements (2025), Khalid Razick – Ancestral Dance (2025), and Baris Kadem – Ask Ile (2025). He is also credited as co- producer of Mina Nystad’s 2024 album Raining Away.

In 2025, Zvekic launched a new original project, PANIKA, alongside bassist Louis Stringer, drummer Cristian Acevedo, and guitarist Rares Vlad Gherman. The group’s music blends contemporary jazz with Balkan-folk rhythms and melodic language, infused with the spirit of free jazz. Their debut at the legendary Mad Monkfish jazz club in August 2025 signaled the arrival of another vital chapter in Zvekic’s creative journey.