Radovan Jovicevic
Encyclopedia
Radovan Jovićević is a Serbia
n pop-rock/folk
music composer, producer and band leader. He was born in Belgrade
on January 31, 1956. He has lived in New York City
since 1999.
, the first Balkan band that successfully combined new wave sound with commercial pop. Helped by keyboardist Zoran Živanović, singer Zana Nimani
(his high school girlfriend) and Marina Tucaković
(the most successful lyricist in Yugoslav pop/folk music
), Radovan paved the way of commercial success for many other young new wave bands in Yugoslavia. Although Zana’s first album Loše vesti uz rege za pivsku flašu was experimental with sound, the second, Dodirni mi kolena, was pop-oriented and sold in over 500,000 copies. Songs from this album are still being covered by contemporary pop-rock bands in the Balkans. Their third album Natrag na voz was another success thanks to the song that topped the charts – "Jabuke i vino": a duo by Zana Nimani and Željko Bebek
(singer of Bijelo dugme
). After Zana Nimani left the band for a solo career in the mid-eighties, Jovićević and Živanović changed a few female singers, but continued in the same musical directions, adding Balkan ethno elements to their songs. In "Vejte snegovi" (1987) they collaborated with a legendary folk clarinet
ist, Boki Milošević. As a multi-talented artist, together with music composing/producing, Jovićević got involved in the production of Zana’s music videos. He also composed for the most popular Serbian folk singers and had top chart hits.
in 1999. His US career started in the field of computer animation
/web design
further developing into a movie soundtrack production. Up to now, Jovićević composed music for Bought and Sold (2003), The Meeting (2005), Recalled (2006), And Then Came Love
(2007). Working in the movie industry, in 2005 he met actor/musician Manu Narayan
. Realizing that they share similar musical ideas, Jovićević and Narayan formed the duo Darunam and soon after published CD All That’s Wonderful Must Die (2007). Darunam’s music can be defined as a blend of modern pop sounds and world beats.
clarinet virtuoso Milan Milošević on the world music
/theatrical project The Last Angel on Earth. Created mostly in cyberspace
from different sides of the continent (Milošević lives in Vancouver
), songs are inspired by/dedicated to angles and deities originated form the world’s major religions. In a year long creative process, Jovićević draw skeletons for the eclectic music
al pieces in his NYC studio, while Milošević and Narayan have given them wings by sending their sound parts through the Internet. The Last Angel on Earth turned out as an amazing musical experience based on the merge of different global ethno traditions (focusing on the Balkans and India), rich with urban rhythms and graced with emotional lyrics/melodies.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n pop-rock/folk
Pop-folk
Pop-folk is the umbrella term for the popular musical genres originating in the Balkans and Eastern Europe that are characteristic by the fusion of commercial folk music and "nightclub" music. The term is used alternatively for Turbo-folk and Chalga and is mostly used in Bulgaria...
music composer, producer and band leader. He was born in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
on January 31, 1956. He has lived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
since 1999.
Balkan Years
Radovan’s career began at the end of the seventies, when he established ZanaZana (band)
Zana is a popular music group from Belgrade, Serbia, which was especially successful during the 1980s in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Early years:...
, the first Balkan band that successfully combined new wave sound with commercial pop. Helped by keyboardist Zoran Živanović, singer Zana Nimani
Zana Nimani
Zana Nimani is a former singer from Serbia. She is an ethnic Albanian born in Belgrade. Throughout her carrier she sang in Serbian language and resided in Belgrade, and she was the first frontress of the prominent Yugoslav band Zana from 1980 to 1985 as well as a successful solo artist...
(his high school girlfriend) and Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković
Marina Tucaković is a Serbian songwriter who has composed several hit albums in former Yugoslavia. She is a known collaborator with Ceca, Lepa Brena, Jelena Karleusa among others...
(the most successful lyricist in Yugoslav pop/folk music
Music of Yugoslavia
-Meaning:Music of Yugoslavia can mean:#Music of Kingdom of Yugoslavia .#Music of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which includes the music of its constituent republics: Socialist Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina,...
), Radovan paved the way of commercial success for many other young new wave bands in Yugoslavia. Although Zana’s first album Loše vesti uz rege za pivsku flašu was experimental with sound, the second, Dodirni mi kolena, was pop-oriented and sold in over 500,000 copies. Songs from this album are still being covered by contemporary pop-rock bands in the Balkans. Their third album Natrag na voz was another success thanks to the song that topped the charts – "Jabuke i vino": a duo by Zana Nimani and Željko Bebek
Željko Bebek
Želimir "Željko" Bebek is a popular Bosnian Croat singer most notable for being the lead vocalist of Bijelo dugme from 1974 to 1984....
(singer of Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme
Bijelo dugme was a highly influential former Yugoslav rock band, based in Sarajevo. Active between 1974 and 1989, it is widely considered to have been the most popular band ever to exist in former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock...
). After Zana Nimani left the band for a solo career in the mid-eighties, Jovićević and Živanović changed a few female singers, but continued in the same musical directions, adding Balkan ethno elements to their songs. In "Vejte snegovi" (1987) they collaborated with a legendary folk clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
ist, Boki Milošević. As a multi-talented artist, together with music composing/producing, Jovićević got involved in the production of Zana’s music videos. He also composed for the most popular Serbian folk singers and had top chart hits.
New York Years
Distracted by the Yugoslav political/economic crisis in the nineties and challenged by his international career Jovićević and his family (wife Gordana and son Nikola) left for New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1999. His US career started in the field of computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
/web design
Web design
Web design is the process of planning and creating a website. Text, images, digital media and interactive elements are used by web designers to produce the page seen on the web browser...
further developing into a movie soundtrack production. Up to now, Jovićević composed music for Bought and Sold (2003), The Meeting (2005), Recalled (2006), And Then Came Love
And Then Came Love
And Then Came Love is a 2007 romantic comedy film that premiered at the Urban Film Series Festival in Washington, D.C. on May 10, 2007. It then saw a limited theatrical release in Ridgewood, New Jersey on June 1, 2007 and in Manhattan, New York on June 15, 2007.The film stars Vanessa Williams,...
(2007). Working in the movie industry, in 2005 he met actor/musician Manu Narayan
Manu Narayan
Manu Narayan is an American actor. He has been hailed as a "promising young star...a compelling actor and outstanding singer who can light up a stage with sheer force of personality." Manu has starred on Broadway, and co-stars as Rajneesh alongside Mike Myers in the Paramount Pictures' Film The...
. Realizing that they share similar musical ideas, Jovićević and Narayan formed the duo Darunam and soon after published CD All That’s Wonderful Must Die (2007). Darunam’s music can be defined as a blend of modern pop sounds and world beats.
Latest Projects
In his latest endeavour Jovićević joined forces with Serbian/CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
clarinet virtuoso Milan Milošević on the world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
/theatrical project The Last Angel on Earth. Created mostly in cyberspace
Cyberspace
Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
from different sides of the continent (Milošević lives in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
), songs are inspired by/dedicated to angles and deities originated form the world’s major religions. In a year long creative process, Jovićević draw skeletons for the eclectic music
Eclecticism in music
Eclecticism is used to describe a composer's conscious use of styles alien to his nature, or from one or more historical styles. The term is also used pejoratively to describe music whose composer, thought to be lacking originality, appears to have freely drawn on other models .-Sources:* Kennedy,...
al pieces in his NYC studio, while Milošević and Narayan have given them wings by sending their sound parts through the Internet. The Last Angel on Earth turned out as an amazing musical experience based on the merge of different global ethno traditions (focusing on the Balkans and India), rich with urban rhythms and graced with emotional lyrics/melodies.
See also
- Popular music in the Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaPopular music in the Socialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaSFR Yugoslav pop and rock scene includes the pop and rock music of SFR Yugoslavia , including all their genres and sub-genres. The scene included the constituent republics: SR Slovenia, SR Croatia, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SR Montenegro, SR Macedonia and SR Serbia and its subunits: SAP Vojvodina...