Marko Tolja and The Swinging Band

Summer stage of Bitef Art Cafe has organized series of exquisite concerts for this season. The performance of Marko Tolja accompanied by The Swinging band is scheduled for 13th July at 22:00 when the tennis courts at Kalemegdan will become maestral stage. Young singer from Croatia for the first time visits this manifestation that will be marked by visits of quality artists: Qzama Quartet, Krcko And Lefty, Bebel Gilberto and Keziah Jones.

Marko Tolja was born in Rijeka. He acquired his first singing experience alongside his uncle Davor, the singer of the famous Denis & Denis band. He performed with Lena Stojiljkovic at the children`s festival "Mikic '95" and won the first place with song "Ca smo mi" (What are we). During the primary school he attended the music school Ivan Matetic Rogonjov. In the period from 2001 to 2006 he sang in various bands, and performed all over Croatia. As a second tenor and baritone, he usually gets solo pieces.

He started solo career in 2006, and the first single to record was the cover of the song "Program tvog kompjutera" (Program of your computer) by the Denis & Denis band. A charming young singer, one of the most beautiful voices in the region, prefers jazz, pop, and swing. So far, he has published two editions, and his first album won the "Porin" Award in 2008 in the category of Best New Artist. He started a television career in 2009 as a mentor in the licensed show "Zvijezde pevaju" (Stars Sing). In the same year, another studio album is released, and Marko is an author as well. The smaller film role in the film "Lea and Daria", directed by Branko Ivanda, marked his work in 2011, when he released the album "Bozic u Kazalistu" (Christmas in the Theater), a live release from the past Christmas concert. With the song "Ljubav u boji" (Love in color) for the first time as the author, he won the first place at Zagrebfest.

In 2012, Marko Tolja released his first singer-songwriter album "Ljubav u boji" (Love in color) that won over both audience and critics. Soon after, he started big tour. A single in English was released for the first time in 2014, the year when he created an audio edition for children "Srca otvorena". Talented and very hardworking young artist will remember 2015 by big concert in hall "Vladislav Lizinski" that is reserved only for the best artists.