Marijus Aleksa (b. 1985) is one of the youngest Lithuanian jazz professionals and one of the most distinct Lithuanian drummers. He plays traditional jazz, fusion, funky, hip-hop and their blends.
After starting as a pianist, Marijus Aleksa switched to drums. He began his education at the Balys Dvarionas School of Music, later studied at the Vilnius Conservatory and Firda Gymnasium in Norway. Currently he studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre.
Marijus Aleksa successfully participated in various competitions – he was hailed the best drummer at the National Young Jazz Musicians Competition in 2001, won the second prize with the group Jazz Pictures at the Junior Jazz Group Competition in 2002, and the first prize at the Youth Jazz Competition Jazz Fountain in 2004. In 2005 with the group Riot he received Grand Prix at the First International Jazz Performers Competition Jazz Hope.
Notwithstanding his young age the drummer is already quite seasoned musician. At the age of fourteen Marijus Aleksa appeared with Oleg Molokoyedov's ensembles in several festivals, made his debut at the international Vilnius Jazz Festival. Since then, he took part in all jazz festivals in Lithuania, performed in Norway, Poland and Austria.
Marijus Aleksa often plays in tandem with his brother bass player Domantas Aleksa. The two brothers teamed together in 1999 in Jazz Pictures – peer ensemble, which became the youngest group ever to appear at the Vilnius Jazz Festival (2000). Later he collaborated with such groups as Guerila Jazz.lt, Groovy Taxi, D-Orange, Brassbastardz, and luminaries of Lithuanian jazz including Vytautas Labutis, Oleg Molokoyedov, Danielius Praspaliauskis, Eugenijus Kanevičius, Neda Malūnavičiūtė, Vladimir Chekasin, Arūnas Šlaustas, Vytautas Mikeliūnas, Jan Maksimowicz, and Liudas Mockūnas. He also performed in international ensembles, including Norwegian The Brazz Brothers and Herbie Kopf's Hip-noses. Since 2004, the versatile drummer has been playing with SKAMP. In 2005, with this group he appeared at the International Music Fair MIDEM in Cannes, and performed in the USA. Currently, Marijus Aleksa collaborates with Liudas Mockūnas, Vytis Nivinskas and is a member of Riot, one of the most promising young jazz groups.
© Jūratė Kučinskaitė
