Name: Zen Zadravec
Start: 2025-08-30T14:45:00
Location: Cadillac Square

Zen Zadravec

Detroit Jazz Festival

Zen Zadravec, jazz pianist and saxophonist, is a true musical chameleon. Whether performing jazz, R&B, funk, rock, or pop, he brings a freshness and confidence rarely found in a musician of his generation. Born in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1974, Zadravec began studying classical piano at the age of five. By eleven, he had also taken up the saxophone and flute. A transformative encounter with the music of Miles Davis ultimately inspired his decision to pursue jazz as his life’s calling. In 1992, Zadravec enrolled in the Jazz Program at York University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997. During his studies, he was twice honored with the prestigious Oscar Peterson Award for excellence in jazz piano performance. He went on to complete a Graduate Degree in Jazz Performance at Rutgers University in 2000. Zadravec has studied with several jazz greats, including Kenny Barron, Don Thompson, John Gittens, Vic Juris, Ted Dunbar, and Ralph Bowen. His approach is versatile, creative, and energetic, constantly evolving through performance, recording, and education.