I was born in a small village in Slovenia and grew up in the countryside. My father was a train driver, my mother an accountant. I have a younger brother who became an engineer.
At the age of 18 I moved to The Netherlands for music, the idea won over my plans to study Latin and old Greek. A few years later, I was immersed into the rich world of Amsterdam’s improvised music scene, which complemented my studies of classical composition in a great way. After 13 years in Holland, I moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, stayed there for 5 years, and recently moved back to Trboje, my home village.
Welcome to my website.
for bio and cv please scroll down
News:
My work is featured in an article by Peter Margasak for the October issue of The Wire! See here.
Working on my new solo program. An excerpt from a concert I played this summer in Copenhagen shot by the great George Chiper Lillemark available here.
KOMPRESS, the fourth album by Punkt.Vrt.Plastik IS OUT. Available here!
I made 7th place on the "Rising Star Pianist of the Year" list of Downbeat's Annual Critics Poll
"Bare, Unfolding" by Kaja Draksler Octet is out, available here. A video of one of the tracks was created by the incredible Aleksandra Ołdak.
Another video by Aleksandra Ołdak for Czajka & Puchacz's Transcendentalny is accompaning the duo's release of their second album Flapping, now available here.
I am honoured to be part of a compilation album called GAZA, a charity release for Ghassan Abu Sittah Children's Fund. Please support if you can.
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RECENT VIDEO & AUDIO:
video> Kaja solo at Copenhagen Jazz Festival
video> Irena Z. Tomažin + Kaja Draksler at Stop Over Festival
audio> Kaja Solo at Cerkno Jazz Festival
video> Czajka & Puchacz: Transcendentalny
video> Kaja Draksler Octet: In Kyoto
audio> Kaja Draksler Solo Organ in Hradec Kralove part 1 and part 2
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SELECTED ARTICLES:
Feature article by Peter Margasak for The Wire, 2026 (ENG)
Portrait by Ulrich Stock for Die Zeit, 2022 (DE)
Interview by Anne-Marie Vervelde for Jazznu, 2018 (NL)
Article by Peter Margasak for Downbeat, 2017 (ENG)
Portrait by Holger Pauler for Freistil, 2016 (DE)
Interview by Mischa Andriessen for Trouw, 2015 (NL)
~ If you would like to receive my newsletter, send an email entitled "Newsletter" to kaja@kajadraksler.com. Thank you!
| Sep 12 | Solo at Bučno | Lesno Brdo Vrhnika, Slovenia |
| Oct 6 | At Impro Cafe with Vera Morais and Hristo Goleminov | Association Hall 100 De Wittenstraat 100, 1052 BA Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Oct 7 | Czajka & Puchacz at Bruitkasten Concert Series | Gemeinde Köln Ebertpl. Laden 7, 50668 Köln, Germany |
| Oct 9 | Czajka & Puchacz @ SITP at Bimhuis | BIMHUIS Piet Heinkade 3, 1019 BR Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Oct 31 | Open Form for Society II at Berlin Jazzfest | Berliner Festspiele Schaperstraße 24, 10719 Berlin-Bezirk Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Germany |
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Nov 16 to: Nov 19 |
In Stavanger for Blaa:Traa | Stavanger Jazzforum Sandvigå 27, 4007 Stavanger, Norway |
| Nov 25 | Cikel neprijetnih | Ljubljana Slovenia |
| Jan 21 | Draksler/Bach/Masecki | Concertgebouw 't Zand 34, 8000 Brugge, Belgium |
| Jan 28 | Czajka & Puchacz at All Ears | Oslo Norway |
| Feb 3 | Solo in Milano | Milan Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy |
| Feb 4 | Czajka & Puchacz at Ear We Are | Biel/Bienne Switzerland |
| Feb 18 | Czajka & Puchacz at Ment | Cankarjev dom Prešernova cesta 10, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Feb 19 | matter 100 'true or false' release at Ment | Cankarjev dom Prešernova cesta 10, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Mar 19 | Punkt.Vrt.Plastik at Jazz Goes to Town | Hradec Kralove Czechia |
“Draksler is one of the most potent musical minds of our time.“
Quietus
“Draksler’s sound seems to be tied to ancient tonalities, born of the earth, /.../ there’s a kind of gravitational stillness at the centre, that seems beyond anything that could be taught.”
Stewart Lee
“The young Slovenian pianist Kaja Draksler shows off a wealth of sturdy ideas and nonchalant technique on this stunning solo recording.”
Downbeat
“/.../ the young Slovenian pianist Kaja Draksler pulls together information from a century of experimental music and jazz. She also makes rhythm a priority, and reminds you subtly that she knows what she’s doing. /.../ It’s hard, or maybe impossible, to predict where she’s going to take you. That’s not so common from a young musician.”
New York Times
“Draksler brings austerity, subtlety and poignancy with her fluid piano playing and rings through in bright, rich textures.”
Irish Times
