Next to Silence

Composed of members of some of the most prominent Macedonian musical groups and orchestras, Next to Silence follow the epiphany of the sound they are searching for, moving in a path they do not know in which direction it is leading them. It is in this climate that they create that for which there is no determined perspective and that which opens up a wide space for musical narration. Their music reaches landscapes and concepts that they grasp only because of the unique blend of their different musical characters and due to the subtle refinement of speaking without words. Here they are most powerful and through the skillful interweaving of spirituality and sarcasm, they speak of that which is far from their tactility but deeply rooted in their understanding of the world.

Their albums, released for the Skopje Jazz Festival, embody various sound stories and tell what is most beautifully spoken without words. Although the name Next to Silence comes from a sentence in a Canadian jazz magazine that describes the music as "the most beautiful sound next to silence," Next to Silence's music is neither the most beautiful sound nor silence. It's something in between. This band's music could be an evocation of different stories or a soundscape devoid of meaning...an experience that can lead you to silence...


Kiril Kuzmanov - saxophone
Adi Imeri - guitar
Petar Lukić - keyboards
Dragan Stojkovski - bass
Goce Naumov - drums