"Gabi" (1973) was compilation released by Belgrade-based PGP RTB.
This serbian recording company had at certain point in early 1960s released string of highly visible and interesting EP releases (early forms of later long-play albums) that covered lots of than up and coming new singers performing popular music with jazz touch. Their production propelled many of the singers who were not neccesary from Belgrade,like for example Gabi Novak who had her very first album relased by them. The company also had rights to some big pop festival recordings ("Opatija","Zagreb","Split","Beogradsko Proleće","Pesma Leta") and later as Novak moved on to "Jugoton", RTB selected some of jewels from their archives for this album.
Just as they did on their similar LP portraits of Tereza Kesovija or Novak's husband Arsen Dedić (released around the same time) RTB focused on 1960s recordings that would otherwise stay forgoten in radio archives - here we have young Gabi Novak singing torch ballads of the time, heavily orchestrated and mostly backed with vocal chorus. Very first,jazzy "Nitko na svijetu neće te voljeti kao ja" (from early Zagreb festival, that Novak performed along the better known version by Drago Diklić) nicely presents her unusual horn-like voice, she was perfectly poised for stardom even at the start. Almost everything here is highly polished, sophisticated and torchy,but with exception of "Vino i gitare" (in original version) this was relatively less sucessful chapter of Novak's career - next decade will bring marriage and collaboration with Arsen Dedić who would compose her best work and give her much better material.
This compilation of early work is therefore interesting from historical perspective - young singer still finding her voice - besides following metarmophosis of the voice, it also presents lots of today forgotten titles that even fans might not remember,like "Sedam galebova" (lyrical and musical relative of "16 Lavandera" by Vice Vukov), "Zbogom", "Mili" or self-penned "Biće još takvih dana". Many of these songs were originally performed simultaneously in variations with other singers, like the biggest hit here ("Vino i gitare") that Novak shared with Dragan Stojnić on festival "Opatija '65". She would re-record this title again for "Jugoton".
"Gabi" was 1970. compilation released by "Jugoton" and it catches singer at the very peak of her popularity.
Novak had a nice if slow-burning career that lasted some 40+ years but work preserved here shows her at her very best, at the time when music,image and public adulation made her superstar on national level (her marriage to Arsen Dedić actually made TV news in time when this was unheard of). Because "Jugoton" back than hardly released LP album with completely new material,they preffered to play safe and focus on already succesful hit singles collection - here they collect some of Novak's best loved material from that time,like "Pusti me da spavam", "Život to smo mi" and "Adrese moje mladosti" that still stand the test of time as some of her most important work. Some of titles here are re-recordings,like "Vino i gitare", "Još uvijek" and "Malo riječi treba kad se voli" because another company (PGP RTB) had rights to originals and these new versions are by far superior in every way. Best of all are songs by Arsen Dedić ("Sve što znaš o meni", "Bit' ćeš uvijek moj") who removed her from lightweight jazz sound into waters of french "chanson" and here Novak matured way beyond expectations.
This LP compilation graced many homes back than - in fact,it collect such high quality material that today it sounds unbelievable that this type of music was actually charting on pop charts and sold as hit singles. Everything from Novak's smooth,seductive and calm voice to sophisticated music,arrangements and poetic lyrics spells class and preserves memory of the time when these things actually mattered.
No comments:
Post a Comment