YUPIKA QUINTET is an international contemporary jazz ensemble. Originally formed in 2001, the band reunites with REBORN, their newly released album of six original compositions. At its creative core is pianist, composer, and arranger Ivan Aleksijević, alongside: Dušan Ivanišević (drums), Gabor Bunford (saxophone), Ištvan Mađarić (bass), Uroš Šećerov (percussion ) and featured vocalist, Ivana Kotov. Their distinctive sound blends sophisticated harmonies, adventurous improvisation, and soulful expression, celebrating musical friendship, artistic freedom, and a shared creative vision.
IVANA KOTOV is an internationally experienced vocalist, songwriter, and vocal producer whose musical identity is rooted in American gospel, jazz, and soul. A Berklee alumna, she studied with exceptional educators deeply connected to these musical traditions. Her international career includes touring with British acid-jazz pioneers The Brand New Heavies and sharing the stage with legendary jazz musicians around the globe. As the featured vocalist and songwriter of YUPIKA QUINTET, Ivana contributes three original vocal compositions to their album REBORN, bringing her distinctive soulful expression, vocal arrangements, and vocal production to the ensemble’s contemporary jazz sound.
Link to the latest music
https://yupikaquintet.hearnow.com/reborn
Where are you based?
YUPIKA QUINTET is an international musical collaboration connecting Serbia and New York City. The instrumental heart of the band is based in Serbia, while I bring the New York City side of our musical story. I love the fact that we come from different musical environments yet speak the same language when we play together. There’s something fascinating about bringing together European contemporary jazz traditions and the soulful, gospel-influenced musical culture of New York City.
How long have you been making music?
YUPIKA QUINTET’s story began in 2001, so our musical roots go back 25 years. What’s interesting is that our story isn’t really about how long we’ve been playing, but about what happens when musicians reconnect after more than two decades and discover that the musical chemistry is still there. We’ve all followed our individual paths, performed with extraordinary artists, explored different musical worlds, and gathered a lifetime of experiences along the way. When we reunited, we weren’t trying to recreate the past. We wanted to hear what our music would sound like today, with everything we’ve learned and experienced. That’s really where REBORN comes from.
What genre would you consider your music to be?
At its core, YUPIKA QUINTET is original contemporary jazz, but our music has never been particularly interested in staying within the boundaries of one genre. There’s a strong foundation of jazz improvisation, sophisticated harmonies, rhythmic exploration, and original composition, alongside elements of jazz fusion, soul, and gospel. Our instrumental music draws from the adventurous spirit of contemporary jazz, while the vocal compositions introduce another dimension, influenced by the soulful musical language of New York City. I think what makes our sound interesting is that none of these elements feels forced. They simply coexist because they represent who we are as musicians. We love complex music, but we also love a beautiful melody, a deep groove, and that unmistakable feeling when everything comes together naturally. Ultimately, we make music that gives us the freedom to be ourselves.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
I think for most of us, music was never really a career decision. It was simply something we couldn’t imagine living without. Speaking for myself, I’ve always been fascinated by the emotional power of music, particularly the human voice and its ability to communicate something that words alone sometimes cannot. Jazz, gospel, and soul have always been at the center of my musical world. As a Berklee alumna, I had the privilege of studying and working with an extraordinary group of educators whose musical backgrounds were deeply rooted in the rich traditions of American gospel, jazz, and soul. That experience was incredibly important in shaping my artistic identity, my approach to vocal improvisation, and my understanding of music as a deeply personal form of expression. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of performing internationally, including touring with The Brand New Heavies, and sharing stages with some extraordinary musicians. Those experiences taught me that beyond technique, musical knowledge, or even virtuosity, the most beautiful thing about music is the connection between people. And I think that’s what continues to inspire all of us in YUPIKA QUINTET: the possibility of creating something meaningful together that none of us could create alone.
What are your biggest musical influences?
We come from different musical backgrounds, so our influences are quite diverse, which is probably one of the reasons our music sounds the way it does. As a band, we’re deeply connected to the tradition of contemporary jazz and fusion, particularly artists who expanded the harmonic, rhythmic, and improvisational possibilities of jazz. Musicians such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, and Yellowjackets have all contributed to the musical landscape that inspires us. Personally, my musical world has always been strongly influenced by jazz, gospel, and soul. I’ve always admired vocalists who approach singing with the freedom of an instrumentalist, artists who aren’t afraid to take risks, explore their voices, and express themselves beyond conventional expectations. But I think the greatest influence on our music is actually the musicians sitting next to us. When you play with people who inspire you, challenge you, and constantly surprise you, that’s where the most interesting music happens.
Are you signed to a label or are you an independent artist?
We’re proudly independent artists. Our new album, REBORN, was released internationally on October 30, 2026, through CD Baby. Being independent gives us something incredibly valuable: complete artistic freedom. We make the music we believe in, without having to reshape our sound to fit a particular commercial formula or trend. Of course, independence comes with its own challenges, especially when it comes to reaching international audiences, but there’s something deeply satisfying about knowing that the music people hear is exactly the music we wanted to create. For us, artistic identity comes first.
What have been the biggest challenges in your music career?
I think one of the greatest challenges for musicians today is finding a balance between artistic integrity and the realities of the modern music industry. We’re living in a time when music is more accessible than ever, yet getting people to genuinely stop, listen, and discover something outside their usual musical habits can be surprisingly difficult. Contemporary jazz is a particularly interesting world because it requires a certain openness from the listener. Our music isn’t necessarily designed to reveal everything in the first thirty seconds. Sometimes the most beautiful moments happen in the middle of an improvisation, in an unexpected harmonic change, or in the musical conversation between two instruments. Another challenge has been bringing together musicians whose lives and careers have taken them in different directions, including across continents. But I don’t necessarily see these things as obstacles. If anything, they’ve taught us patience, persistence, and the importance of staying connected to what made us fall in love with music in the first place. I would rather spend years creating something that genuinely represents us than chase a sound that doesn’t belong to us.
How many songs or albums have you released to date?
Our latest release, REBORN, is a six-track collection of original compositions, released internationally on October 30, 2026. The album includes three instrumental compositions and three vocal compositions, bringing together the distinctive musical personalities of the ensemble. REBORN represents a new chapter in YUPIKA QUINTET’s history and the first volume of what we envision as an ongoing musical journey.
Can you tell us a few things about your latest release?
REBORN is a very personal album for all of us. It represents the reunion of musicians who first connected more than two decades ago, but more importantly, it captures who we are musically today. At the creative core of YUPIKA QUINTET is our pianist, composer, and arranger Ivan Aleksijević, whose musical vision has been fundamental to the identity and sound of the ensemble. Ivan envisioned, composed, and arranged the album’s instrumental compositions, creating an extraordinary musical landscape built around sophisticated harmonies, intricate rhythmic structures, and the freedom of jazz improvisation. His compositions are beautifully crafted, yet they leave plenty of room for each musician to contribute their own musical personality. And what an incredible group of musicians we have! Alongside Ivan on piano and keyboards, the ensemble features Dušan Ivanišević on drums, Gabor Bunford on saxophone, Ištvan Mađarić on bass guitar, and Uroš Šećerov on percussion. Each of them brings an exceptional level of musicianship, experience, and individuality to the project. Their collective musical chemistry is really something special. On the vocal side, I contributed three original compositions as a songwriter and lyricist, while also creating the vocal arrangements and producing all the vocals. My musical background is deeply rooted in American gospel, jazz, and soul, and I wanted to bring that expressive freedom into our contemporary jazz sound. What I particularly love about this album is the way these two musical worlds come together without losing their individual identities. Another important aspect of REBORN is that we recorded the music as a live ensemble, without a click track. We wanted to preserve the natural movement of the music, the spontaneous interaction between musicians, and all those little moments that happen when everyone is truly listening to one another. There’s something beautiful about that kind of musical communication. It can’t be manufactured or programmed. The title REBORN reflects much more than the return of a band. It’s about rediscovering a shared musical language, celebrating friendships that have survived time and distance, and allowing ourselves the freedom to explore what comes next.
Any plans for new music or upcoming projects we should know about?
Absolutely! REBORN is only the beginning of this new chapter. We’re already looking ahead to the continuation of the project, including a second volume of original music previously created in the early 2000s. We’re also very excited about bringing this music to international audiences through live performances, jazz festivals, and new collaborations. For us, the most exciting part of making music has always been the live experience. There’s an energy that happens onstage, when improvisation takes over and the music begins to move in directions nobody could have predicted. That’s something we want to share with as many people as possible. After all these years, we’re still curious, still inspired, and still discovering new things about one another as musicians. And honestly, I think that’s a pretty beautiful place to be.
