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. 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 rocknroll 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 us learn some new dance moves but it was Joao Gilbertos gentle singing and his new way of playing samba songs, along with Tom Jobims 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 Boko Petrovi in his quintet) it was the first time we heard bossa nova! remembers Stjepan Braco Fukar.

Jugoton, the biggest record company in Yugoslavia, released 4-track EP Bossa Nova by Bogdan Dimitrijevi and his ensemble that same year! 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

A1. Arsen Dedi – Onaj Dan
A2. Zdenka Vukovi – Bosonoga
A3. Bogdan Dimitrijevi – O Barquinho
A4. Nino Robi – Jedna Nota (Samba De Uma Nota S)
A5. Milan Bai – H-b-l-l
B1. Beti Jurkovi – Ljuljaka
B2. Elda Viler – Senca Tvojega Nasmeha (The Shadow Of Your Smile)
B3. Arsen Dedi – esto Te Sretnem
B4. Bogdan Dimitrijevi – Hershey Bar
B5. Zdenka Vukovi – Izgubljeno (Desafinado)
C1. Drago Dikli – Moja Draga
C2. Krunoslav Kio Slabinac – Tko Si Ti
C3. Plesni Orkestar RTV Zagreb – Plava Krizantema
C4. Gabi Novak , Radojka verko – Za Mene Je Srea (Samba Da Rosa)
C5. Dubrovaki Trubaduri – Ljuven Zov
D1. Vikica Breer – Sunano Ljeto
D2. Drago Dikli – Nitko Na Svijetu
D3. Vinja Korbar – Subotnje Vee
D4. Arsen Dedi – Veeras
D5. Stjepan “Jimmy” Stani , Glenn Rich Orchestra – The Girl From Ipanema