Michael Vlatkovich is a trombonist, composer and arranger who is a leading talent among Los Angeles improvisational musicians. He has been based on the West Coast since 1973. He is an emotionally charged performer who can play a wide range of jazz and other world music styles. Vlatkovich has performed extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. His improvisatory music is free from any preconceived ideas and expresses raw power, beauty, and strength in a minimally structured way. Vlatkovich was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He began music studies with the school band in third grade. Vlatkovich excelled in high school, and was awarded a music scholarship for the St. Louis Institute of Music. Before he began his studies at the Institute, Michael attended a six-week intensive workshop with Oliver Nelson, an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, and guest soloists Mel Lewis, Thad Jones and Ron Carter. His fellow students included Joe Bowie and Julius Hemphill. Vlatkovich, in addition to leading his own imaginative ensembles, has also performed with many singers and instrumentalists, including Bryan Adams, Bobby Bradford (Brian Setzer), Gerry Hemingway), Rob Blakeslee, Rich Halley and Rich Halley. The trombonist has performed sound tracks on a number of TV and film projects, including Jingle All The Way, The Mask, and John Cassavette’s film The Tempest. The composer founded Thankyou Records in 1981 to record the forward-thinking musical ideas and concepts of his collaborators and himself. These recordings have been praised in both music magazines and periodicals across the United States and Europe. Many of these recordings have been included in the top ten jazz recordings. The trombonist is currently performing with his own bands and co-leading Transvalue along with Charles Britt. Vlatkovich also regularly performs with the Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, and Rob Blakeslee Quintet. from www.liraproductions.com
