About
Acart – Step by step
Aleksandar’s Journey: From Smederevo to the World of Music
Aleksandar’s musical journey began in the historic town of Smederevo, Serbia. Long before holding a guitar, his imagination was already alive—he would often pretend his tennis racket was a guitar, strumming it as if it were real. By age nine, his musical instincts led him to enroll in music school. Alongside guitar lessons, his singing talent surfaced early, with his English teacher regularly asking him to perform in front of the class.
His uncle taught him his first chords, which paved the way for countless evenings filled with Beatles songs. Around this time, Aleksandar discovered his father’s vinyl collection. Listening to Ray Charles’ Yesterday had a profound impact on him. Soon, music became central to his life, and songs like Hotel California by The Eagles, as well as guitar icons such as Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt, broadened his musical horizons.
Ethnic Inspirations and Musical Influences
During the NATO bombing of Serbia, Aleksandar’s world turned inward, and his passion for music intensified. Schools were closed, and he spent his days playing football and preparing for high music school entrance exams by practicing sonatas and études. Around this time, he was given a cassette of Gypsy Magic soundtrack, which sparked his fascination with ethnic music and inspired him to perform his first non-classical piece at school. This moment ignited his passion for improvisation and genre-blending.
Determined to pursue music professionally, Aleksandar enrolled in a specialized music high school, focusing on both guitar and theory. At 15, a spontaneous Santana-inspired improvisation moved him deeply, fueling his creative spark. By his second year, after performing his first classical guitar recital, Aleksandar began to explore broader musical interests beyond the classical realm.
Exploring Musical Boundaries
At seventeen, Aleksandar recorded Odjeci (Echoes), an album of traditional Balkan folk music arranged for two classical guitars. A defining moment came on his 18th birthday when Aleksandar managed to personally give the album to his guitar hero, Vlatko Stefanovski, after sneaking through concert security. This period was transformative for Aleksandar as he began to explore the vast worlds of jazz, blues, funk, and progressive metal. Listening to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis and works by Chet Baker stirred his soul, while bands and virtuosos like Dream Theater, Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen opened up new dimensions in his playing, challenging him to push his boundaries.
His growing fascination with world music was further deepened by hearing Andean street musicians perform in his hometown, and a family friend constantly brought him CDs of traditional music of India, which made a lasting impression on his evolving musical identity.
Further Training and Expanding Horizons
At nineteen, Aleksandar enrolled at the University of Music in Belgrade, where he graduated with a degree in Harmony with Harmonic Analysis. During his studies, he also took private jazz guitar lessons and expanded his repertoire to include funk, Balkan gypsy music, and film music. His approach was influenced by both classical and contemporary composers, especially in the realms of orchestration and arranging.
Teaching, Performing, and Mastering Live Shows
Parallel to his formal studies, Aleksandar began teaching guitar, solfeggio, and theory at state music schools. At the same time, his career as a guitarist and singer evolved rapidly. He played in hard rock, jazz, bossa nova, and folk bands, mastering live looping to enhance his solo acoustic sets. At one point, Aleksandar was performing in up to 5 different bands simultaneously, averaging 28 gigs a month. To date, he has performed around 3,000 live shows.
From intimate performances at homes to high-profile events in luxury hotels in Belgrade, he adapted to a wide variety of settings. Memorable highlights include a series of 40 concerts in the Italian Alps, solo shows on Croatian islands, and a performance on Lake Zurich. Aleksandar thrived in diverse venues, from discotheques and blues clubs to large festival stages, always eager to collaborate with other musicians.
In addition to performing, Aleksandar embraced the analytical side of music. He became a long-time contributor to the world music portal Etnoumlje, where he wrote insightful album and concert reviews. His satirical column, Izvrnuta torta (The Upside-Down Cake), became popular in the Balkan music world for its witty critiques of musicians and performances.
Acart: A Musical Vision
In 2015, Aleksandar founded Acart, a musical project that would explore an array of genres. From ethno-jazz to cinematic and symphonic music, Acart was a boundary-pushing endeavor that allowed Aleksandar to express his eclectic influences. His guitar style—a blend of jazz improvisation, rock virtuosity, ethnic rhythms, and classical precision—became his signature sound.
Albums and Musical Creativity
Acart’s debut album, Ćiril Method (2017), mixed traditional music with funk and rock-jazz elements. In 2018, the audio-visual Studio Sessions followed, reflecting Acart’s multifaceted identity as a composer. In the same year, Acart performed with his band at the Nišville Jazz Festival.
By 2020, Homo Ludens introduced a series of singles and music videos that further merged traditional and modern sounds, continuing to push the boundaries of Acart’s musical expression. The focus was on the arrangements, which were deeply rooted in the intense, fiery performances of the Acart trio.
In 2022, Common Myths, released under Luminol Records, featured instrumental compositions that gained international recognition, including a feature on a podcast by Italian host Bruno Vespa. Aleksandar continued to explore new avenues of creativity with notable singles like Pa plešemo (2021) and Vodi me (2024).
In 2023, Aleksandar released Carigrad, a symphonic poem blending orchestral and contemporary elements. Released under Sliptrick Records, it featured contributions from over 20 musicians, showcasing Acart’s skill as both a composer and arranger.
New Chapter
Looking ahead, Acart’s next chapter comes with the release of Acart & Infinity Quintet, scheduled for late 2024.
At the same time, he is developing new projects in composing for media.