About

The rich musical history of Yugoslavia reveals a long-lasting love for the music of Latin America. Entwined in Afro-Cuban rhythms, ballrooms were shakin', swayin' and swingin', gathering musicians who were heavily into jazz bands and orchestras, most notably in Ljubljana, Zagreb, and Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Jazz could be heard on the streets of Split way back in 1919 when dancing became a symbol of freedom. Radio was the most loved household item, newest sheet music was in demand and collecting records was hip like today. In the aftermath of Second World War, jazz went underground but little by little, things changed and Ella, Satchmo, Dizzy and Miles came to visit, among others. Music festivals shaped the music for entertainment and variety of popular styles showed influences from all over the world. In the early sixties, one particular rhythm crashed on the coast of the Adriatic Sea: the rhythm of bossa nova.

In the whirlwind of various musical styles, Latin American music still played important part of the scene in the early sixties Yugoslavia. Beguine, tango, rhumba, samba, calypso, mambo and cha-cha-cha all found their place on the festivals inspired by famous Sanremo, festival of Italian popular song that largely shaped the musical taste of Europe. It was the era of instrumental rock, R & B and rock'n'roll - sounds of "imperialist America" now played freely on imported and hand-made electric guitars. While dancing halls had been turning into concert venues, bossa nova has come! Eydie Gorme with Blame It on the Bossa Nova and Paul Anka with Eso Besso (That Kiss!) tried to make them learn some new dance moves but it was Joao Gilberto's gentle singing and his new way of playing samba songs, along with Tom Jobim's modern dissonant harmonies and poetry of Vinicius de Moraes that created the magic. When American alto saxophonist and flautist Bud Shank visited Zagreb and Ljubljana in 1963 (with Boško Petrović in his quintet) "it was the first time we heard bossa nova!" remembers Stjepan Braco Fučkar. 

Jugoton, the biggest record company in Yugoslavia, released a 4-track EP Bossa Nova by Bogdan Dimitrijević and his ensemble that same year (1963). While not being fully accepted or understood completely, the archives of Jugoton reveal to us various interpretations of this new trend from their vast catalogue.

Compiled by Leo Hekman, also known as DJ D-Gree.  — (via Label)

Vinyl // Tracklist
A1 Arsen Dedić–    Onaj Dan
A2 Zdenka Vučković– Bosonoga
A3 Bogdan Dimitrijević–    O Barquinho
A4 Nino Robić– Jedna Nota (Samba De Uma Nota Só)
A5 Milan Bačić–    Hō-bá-lá-lá
B1 Beti Jurković– Ljuljačka
B2 Elda Viler– Senca Tvojega Nasmeha (The Shadow Of Your Smile)
B3 Arsen Dedić–    Često Te Sretnem
B4 Bogdan Dimitrijević–    Hershey Bar
B5 Zdenka Vučković– Izgubljeno (Desafinado)
C1 Drago Diklić– Moja Draga
C2 Krunoslav Kićo Slabinac– Tko Si Ti
C3 Plesni Orkestar RTV Zagreb– Plava Krizantema
C4 Gabi Novak, Radojka Šverko–    Za Mene Je Sreća (Samba Da Rosa)
C5 Dubrovački Trubaduri– Ljuven Zov
D1 Vikica Brešer– Sunčano Ljeto
D2 Drago Diklić– Nitko Na Svijetu
D3 Višnja Korbar– Subotnje Veče
D4 Arsen Dedić–    Večeras
D5 Stjepan "Jimmy" Stanić, Glenn Rich Orchestra– The Girl From Ipanema

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Label: The Everland Music Group
Format: 2 x Vinyl, Compilation
Released: 2025
Genre: Jazz, Latin
Style: Bossanova

File under: Global Sounds
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