{{short description|Kosovo-born Albanian jazz guitarist (born 1980)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Faton Macula | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | alias = | birth_date = January 1, 1980 | birth_place = Mitrovica, Kosovo | origin = Republic of Kosovo | death_date = | death_place = | genre = Jazz | occupation = Guitarist | instrument = Guitar | years_active = 1996–present | label = Musik Garden | associated_acts = Mark Whitfield | website = {{URL|http://www.fatonmacula.com}} }} '''Faton Macula''' is a Kosovo-born Albanian Jazz guitarist. Faton currently lives in New York City.<ref name="Faton">[http://www.fatonmacula.com/#!__bio Faton Macula - Biography] Retrieved 08-31-2012</ref>
==Biography== Faton Macula was born on January 1, 1980, Mitrovica, Kosovo. His first guitar was given to him by his father at the age of 8. His father was the main person that brought him into jazz. His parents after noticing his interest in the guitar, arranged for him to study in a classical music school in Mitrovica with the teacher Petar Rakic. And while studying he also played with various rock bands from all over Kosovo. By the age of 15, his teacher showed him some records of George Benson and Joe Pass which Faton really liked. From that moment his musical direction was given. Two years later he enrolled at the "Hochschule für Musik & Darstellende Kunst"in Graz, Austria.<ref name="Faton"/>
As of 2012, Faton is married to Claudia Cruz and they have a daughter called Iman.<ref name="Macula"/>
==Career==
===1990's=== Faton has had the opportunity to study and to play with musicians such as Harry Pepl, Wayne Brasel, Ewald Oberleitner, Stjepko Gut, Dusko Goikivic, Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton and Bill Dobbins. Each one of these musicians helped him in his learning process of the necessary vocabulary of jazz guitar and music in its general aspects.
In 1998, at age 19, he recorded his first Jazz album under the record label "Musik Garden" called ''I remember you'' in Graz, Austria.<ref name="Faton"/>
===2000-present=== In the year 2000 he returned to Pristina, Kosovo, where he recorded and released his pop album ''Telat'' ({{langx|en|strings}}). The eponymous single of the album went on to become a #1 Hit in Kosovo.
In 2002 he was invited by his friend and mentor Mark Whitfield to New York City to continue to further expand his career. Together with Whitfield's help and Faton's hard work he had the opportunity to record and perform with Jazz and pop artists such as Marc Anthony, Shakira, Faith Hill, Missy Elliott, Carl Thomas, Gladys Knight, Mary J. Blige, James Genus, Gregory Hutchinson, Dave Kikoski, Donald Edwards, Mark Whitfield, Jim Pryor, Ravi Coltrane, Allan Harris and many more.<ref>[http://www.ikub.al/FEMRA_CATEGORY/909140029/Article-Performancat-e-Faton-Macules-me-yjet-boterore-.aspx Performancat e Faton Maculës me yjet botërore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913044059/http://www.ikub.al/FEMRA_CATEGORY/909140029/Article-Performancat-e-Faton-Macules-me-yjet-boterore-.aspx |date=2017-09-13 }} (Albanian) Retrieved 08-31-2012</ref>
Faton continues to perform, record and teach guitar in New York City, and is about to release his third album titled "IMAN", a mix of jazz, R&B and Neo-Soul, which features new upcoming artists such as Father Dude, Kofi Black, Ja'Shayla, Shanelle Gabrielle, Sadiya Rock and Fritz Jerey, as well as a duet with Mark Whitfield.<ref name="Macula">[http://zhurnal.mk/content/?id=612100329 Faton Macula, mbreti i muzikës jazz]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Albanian) Retrieved 08-31-2012</ref>
==Discography==
===Albums=== * ''I remember you'' (1998) * ''Telat'' (2000) * ''IMAN'' (2010)
==References== {{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macula, Faton}} Category:1979 births Category:Albanian guitarists Category:Kosovo Albanians Category:Jazz guitarists Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Mitrovica, Kosovo Category:University of Music and Performing Arts Graz alumni