Dejan Terzic 
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Drummer Dejan Terzic is one of a couple of handfuls of young musicians living in Germany who have begun to make their presence felt on the world jazz scene in the last decade. The reason for this abundance of budding world class talent taking root and flourishing in the German jazz soil is a theme for the jazz historian - but the fact is that Germany has become fertile ground for contemporary jazz. Dejan was born in Banja Luka in what was then Yugoslavia. His Serbian family moved to Germany when Dejan was 3 years old. He began playing piano at the age of 6, and took up drums at 12, playing art first in rock and funk groups. His induction into the world of jazz came through the back door. Listening to Sting's album "Bring On the Night", he was grabbed by the playing of pianist Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist Branford Marsalis. It was at this point that his exploration of the world of jazz began in earnest. In the summer of 1991 Terzic journeyed to the Vermont Jazz Center, run by the legendary Hungarian guitarist Attilla Zoller. Attilla proved to be a major influence on Dejan, encouraging him, and clueing him in on the subtleties of group dynamics and improvisation. During the same summer Terzic became a member of New York's Drummer's Collective, where he studied with among others, Marvin Smitty Smith and Bill Stewart. Back in Germany, Dejan began studying at the conservatory in Wurzburg where he met up with drummer Bill Elgart, one of the most original creative players on the scene. Terzic's comment was, "...he brought me to some really different stuff..." The next few years were hectic ones, filled with studies and gigs. His playing began to catch the ears of both musicians and the public - and his playing began to gather in the prizes - Young Bavarian jazz Lion 94/95, Best Drummer, Krakow festival 94, Best Drummer, Leipzig Festival 95, Best Musician, International Jazz Festival Oberkochen, 95. Nuremberg Cultural Prize, 97.
He joined the Antonio Farao Trio in 99, and did several Tours, Festivals and recordings with this group.It lead to a recording with Bob Berg " Far out" which was released on CAM Records. Unfortunatly it was the last recording of Bob Berg,since he died in a car accident in dec 2002. In the following year the trio was invited to a tour in Japan, performing at the Festival in Tokyo. In the following year the trio released the CD "Encore" (CAMJazz), which was named the record of the month by French Magazine Jazzman.
Through the collaboration with Farao, Dejan joined in 2002 the Franco Ambrosetti Group and performed on various festivals in Switzerland and Italy.
Dejan joined the Nils Wogram Nostalgia Trio in 2002.
The Group released a record on Intuition in 2003 and toured extensively throughout Germany, Switzerland and Austria. The critically highly acclaimed collaboration continued its successful touring over the years.
In the year 2004 Dejan received the Munich Cultural Prize.
In the following year Dejan took part at some extensive Tours and Festivals in Scandinavia with the danish Trumpetplayer Jens Winther, who has formed a new lineup, including Basslegend Palle Danielson. The Quintet released a CD "Concord" on Stunt Records. Through this collaboration, he was also invited to join the Palle Danielson Group for some festivals in Italy and Sweden.
In the year 2007 he recorded with pianist Anke Helfrich, featuring Roy Hargrove on trumpet. In the year 2008 he toured extensively with the danish Jens Winther Group,since the Band was widely supported by the Danish Jazzfederation, and performed on festivals in Australia,Canada,USA and China, and released a double CD on Stunt Records.
In 2008 Dejan performed with Anke Helfrich Trio on its new recording, released by ENJA records. The trio performed in jan 2009 a highly successful tour of the "Jazznights"- by Karsten Jahnke Promotion.
He perfomed 2 long tours with Nils Wogram Nostalgia Trio, after releasing their 2nd CD on Intuition records.
Dejan joined Pianist Hans Luedemann, and Bassist Sebastien Boisseau for a trio collaboration ("Rooms") for some festivals and recordings.
In 2008 he has written and arranged Music for Film, "Tunnels End" , a documentary by spanish filmdirector Monica Lleo. The music was performed and recorded by the Babelsberg Filmorchester,Berlin.
In 2008 Dejan accepted a Professorship for Jazzdrums at the University of Arts (HKB) in Bern,Switzerland.
In the years he has toured and recorded with Lee Konitz,Bob Berg, George Garzone,Roy Hargrove,Enrico Rava, Franco Ambrosetti, Tom Harrell, Jerry Bergonzi, James Moody, Antonio Farao, Palle Danielsson, Rita Marcotulli, Mark Helias, Chris Speed, Dusko Goykovic, Tim Hagans, Dominique Pifarely,Michel Godard to name a few. Dejan has become a mainstay on the European jazz scene, and besides his own projects, he is a regular member in the Antonio Farao Trio, Jens Winther Quintett, Nils Wogram Trio,Anke Helfrich Trio and the Palle Danielsson Group.
The first record was released by Naxos Jazz, a quartet with saxophonist George Garzone in 98. The second Album was released in 2001, a quintet with Jens Winther,Antonio Farao,Tony Lakatos and Martin Gjakonovski.
This was the time when he realized that it would be an indispensible step for his own music to discover and explore the realms of folkloristic melodies and rhythms of the Balkans, so he started working on the "Underground" Project, consisting of Chris Speed, Mark Helias and Frank Moebus.The band has been touring extensivly the past 5years,and released its first Cd in 2005 by Gramofon, and recorded the second Cd in November 06, being released by Gramofon in
oct 2007 .The Band played all major Festivals in the Balkan Region.
In July 2009 the band was invited to perform a weeklong stint at the Club A-trane in Berlin.After the performance the Group recorded its new album "Diaspora", released on ENJA records. In 2012 Dejan formed the Band "Melanoia" with old pals Hayden Chisholm, Ronny Graupe and Achim Kaufmann. The Band was nominated for the BMW Award "Leading Drums" in 2013. Dejan receoved the prestigeous ECHO Jazz Award as best Instrumentalist (drums) in 2014.
