Biography
Žan Tetičkovič / Jean John (artist name), born on May 28, 1991, is a New York based Slovenian drummer, multiple award winning composer, educator and theorist, recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Johnny Mandel Prize 2017, and a graduate of the renowned The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music” in New York City.
Žan Tetičkovič / Jean John (artist name), born on May 28, 1991, is a Slovenian drummer, multiple award winning composer, educator and theorist and a recipient of the prestigious ASCAP Johnny Mandel Prize 2017. He is graduate of the renowned The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music” in New York City and has completed his masters degree at the Liceu Conservatory of Music in Barcelona.
Jean John is a three-time winner of the "ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award" (2012 and 2014 and 2017), winner of the International Jazzon LIVE Master Award 2012 for “Best Jazz Composition” and the "Jazzon Audience Award 2012 "for the best performance of the composition.
He is a member and co-founder of numerous projects both in New York and in Slovenia, and has performed and collaborated with the renowned names on the world jazz scene (Yosvany Terry, Kyoko Oyobe, Troy Roberts, Kelly Green, Tarek Yamani, Melissa Aldana, Jazzmeia Horn, Camila Meza, Petros Klampanis, Guy Mintus, Lesedi Ntsane, Arun Luthra, Tarek Yamani, Jonathan Finlayson, Emmet Cohen, Russell Hall, Theodosii Spassov, Vlatko Stefanovski, Stephen Thurston, Reggie Workman, Richard Boukas, Jane Ira Bloom, Steve Nelson, Cameron Brown and others), as well as highly established Slovenian artists (Igor Bezget quartet, Jure Pukl trio, Nina Strnad quartet, Marko Črnčec quartet, Lenart Krečič trio, Big Band RTV Slovenia, Tadej Kampl "Life is good", Ljubljana Quintet Saksofonov, Nina Strnad quartet , Uroš Perič trio, and others).
Žan has performed on notable stages all over the world, among others: John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D.C., National Sawdust, Jazz Gallery, Smalls, 55 bar, Marian's Jazz Room and Bern Jazz festival, Jazz Festival Arsana, festival of Slovenian Jazz in Ravne na Koroškem, Arsana festival, Cerkno Jazz Festival, Koprivnica jazz festival, Kino Šiška, HRT Zagreb, Sofia Jazz Festival (Bulgaria) and Jazzinty Jazz Festival.
As a composer, Žan is an author and co-author of numerous projects: “Balchemy” (2013), Oasis with Big Band of RTV Slovenia (2014), The Port Of Life (2016, ZKP RTV), “A Love Lane Nocturne” with Emmet Cohen and Russell Hall (2019), “REQUIEM” for large choir and jazz quartet, The Port Of Life II. - Ensō (2020, ZKP RTV) & The Port of Life III. “From Where to Forever”
As a copyist he is currently working with legendary composers, Wayne Shorter, (opera Ophelia) Jack DeJohnette and Ron Carter. He is also very active as teacher and theorist in fields of creative counterpoint and harmony. He is currently writing an expansive theory manual “Tension and Texture” and has taught a highly well received counterpoint workshop / master class on international “Creative Jazz Clinic” in Velenje, Slovenia both in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, he also premiered a groundbreaking work “Requiem” for large mixed choir and jazz quartet, which fused music of Palestrina and jazz.
Žan opened the 61st jazz festival Ljubljana with the premiere of his newest record “The Port of Life II. - Enso” and also arranged a large project for big band and strings “Blackstar” featuring the music of David Bowie’s last record. In 2021, he graduated with Masters Degree from Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona under mentorship of Marc Miralta. He relocated back to New York City in 2023 as a permanent resident and received a full scholarship to pursue his Doctorate Degree at the renowned Stony Brook University in New York, where he is also serving as a teacher’s assistant. He is currently actively performing in groups led by Kelly Green, Troy Roberts, Kyoko Oyobe, Tom Manuel and the Stony Brook Jazz Orchestra.