Everything she knows about jazz and commitment to the guitar, she learned from Ratko Zjača, says Katja Restović. Due to their busy schedules, they often talk via Skype, and those conversations, she notes, are always deep and inspiring.
— “Ratko is the only musician I know — and I know many — who drinks only water, runs every morning, and is deeply committed to Buddhism,” says Katja Restović.
— “His approach to music and life constantly reminds me of discipline, dedication, and inner freedom,” she adds.
— “I believe that one day we will fulfil our dream: to live closer to one another and to spend more time talking about love and music,” concludes Katja Restović.
Speaking about Zjača’s work, Katja Restović points out that his musical language is always the result of long-term exploration and deep focus.
— “On this album, sound is not decoration, but process. Everything is built through listening – between musicians, instruments, and space,” says Restović.
Touching Minds, Zjača’s latest album, brings together musicians of different sensibilities and cultural backgrounds. Alongside Ratko Zjača, the dialogue includes Marius Preda, Nick McGuire, with Trilok Gurtu appearing as a special guest.
— “This is not a meeting of egos, but a meeting of awareness. Every tone has meaning, every improvisation grows out of trust,” Restović notes.
According to her, this is music that does not demand attention, but gradually opens it.
— “It is an album that cannot be listened to casually. It asks for presence – and that is precisely why it stays with you,” concludes Katja Restović.
