Guitar, Ukulele, Bass
Davorin Buco (pronounced Bootso, his childhood nickname) is a native of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. He first picked up the guitar at age 12, after a friend taught him a rock ’n’ roll riff as a birthday gift. That single moment sparked a lifelong passion for music.
In 1989, his band was named “Best New Upcoming Band” by a Sarajevo music TV station. Even during the Bosnian war and the Sarajevo siege, he and his bandmates continued to play, powering concerts with gas generators while audiences used lit candles to see.
When Davorin moved to Chicago in 1995, music remained at the center of his life. He performed with his old bandmates before co-founding another band in 2000, playing at Chicago’s iconic venues. By 2004, he shifted his focus to acoustic guitar, studying jazz under Tony Do Rosario and Alfonso Ponticelli, while deepening his love for Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz.
Since relocating to the DC area in 2016, Davorin has performed regularly with many influential groups. He has hosted and taught workshops at the Django in June festival, performed with the National Philharmonic Chamber Players at Walter Reed Warrior Café, and taken on session work at Crescendo Studios. In 2023, he was hired as a guitar performer for the Encanto show at CAMP. Alongside performing, he also enjoys composing his own music.
Friends often told Davorin that his patience would make him a great teacher, and they were right. As an instructor, he strives to help students discover the same joy in practicing and playing that has guided his own journey. He listens to what his students want to achieve and works with them to reach their goals. A lifelong learner himself, Davorin believes that his ongoing dedication to becoming a better musician is one of the greatest gifts he can share with his students.