MAJKO ZEMLJO

Having left TIME after their phenomenal first album, Tihomir Pop Asanovic joined them again during the World Youth Festival, held in (East) Berlin 1973, on which occasion he played his rewarded composition "Berlin". The following year he recorded his first solo album "Majko Zemljo" (Eng. "Mother Earth") which is celebrated as the first recorded solo album of a rock keyboardist in former Yugoslavia! Also in 1974 Asanovic formed a super-group called JUGOSLOVENSKA POP SELEKCIJA (Yugoslavian Pop Selection) which gathered a dozen or so prominent rock and jazz musicians of the time, who performed at many concerts in ex-Yugoslavia, including the popular "Boom" Pop Festivals in Ljubljana '74 and Zagreb '75. POP SELECTION would transform into band SEPTEMBER in late 1975, but before that Asanovic invited many of these musicians for his solo LP, which basically consisted of the old material previously worked out with POP SELECTION.

The title track is a strong and catchy jazz-funk number with clavinet and brass arrangements where Janez Boncina (SEPTEMBER) and Dado Topic (TIME) shared lead vocals. "Balada o liscu" ("The Ballad Of The Leaves") is a nice, bluesy jazz ballad with Topic's lead vocals singing about falling leaves and passing of life which is quite spoiled by excessive use of a synthesizer. I guess it was a novelty at that time so Asanovic could not resist playing with it more than necessary. "Berlin I" is excellent jazz instrumental with perfect brass melody, superb Hammond, Asanovic's signature instrument, and trumpet solo by Pero Ugrin. "Tema za pop LP" ("Theme For a Pop LP") is another instrumental featuring female scat vocals, electric piano, clavinet and Hammond. Nothing special but pleasant enough to listen to. There is a pure classic jazz feel in this song. A somewhat stupid title "Rokenrol dizajner" ("Rock'n'Roll Designer") uncovers a brilliant short funky and rhythmic track with Boncina/Topic singing the title words interchangeably, while Divjak and Doblekar provide strong percussions. Another slow ballad "Ostavi trag" ("Leave the Trace") features Josipa Lisac as lead female vocalist and her performance is excellent. Again too much syntesizers here, but improvement comes with fine piano and at the closing part a wonderful soprano sax solo, which recalls some Coltranesque feel. Too bad this part is very short. This song would resurface on the first SEPTEMBER album "Zadnja avantura" two years later. D. Topic sings lead with female backing in the Latino-flavoured "Telepatija" ("Telepathy") sounding similar to SANTANA at times. A danceable, catchy tune but nothing exceptional. The closing "Berlin II" instrumental is not as good as the first one although it showcases the jolly sound of clavinet again.

This is a very good jazz-rock album with certain funk and R'n'B influences that does not require close attention or extraordinary jazz knowledge as preconditions for enjoyment. However, the keyboard nerds will have enough time to explore the sounds of Hammond, piano, clavinet and vintage synths played by one of the best ex- Yugoslavian musicians during the "golden" prog era.

Yugosloavian keyboardist formerly of the band, TIME. The album title means "Mother Earth."

1. "Majko Zemljo" (3:32) opening with some spacey synth noises, this one quickly falls into a brass rock sound similar to bands like Blood Sweat & Tears. I like the contrasting use of two alternating male vocalists. (8.875/10)

2. "Balada o liscu" (6:06) slow pop-jazz ballad with percussion and hi-pitched droning saw synth pervading the first three minutes beneath the vocalist. Then the horns enter and the tempo picks up, creating a more dynamic base, but then it all falls back into the slow pop motif for the fifth minute. Interesting and not bad--the singer is good (the sound engineering not as much). (8.875/10)

3. "Berlin I" (5:30) opens with some funky organ notes joined immediately by some smooth funk rhythm play from bass, drums, and percussion before being taken up a notch by banks of horn section accents and melody lines. The real player here, however, is Tihomir with his Brian Auger/Eumir Deodato-like funky organ play constantly exploring beneath the horns and horn soloists. This is such a great groove though laid-back in an "2001/Also Sprach Zarathustra" kind of way--at least until 3:40 when a very bluesy bridge signals Tihomir "Pop"'s turn for a solo. Very bluesy. Great two-handed work! Great cohesion from the rhythm section. (And no guitar!!) (9.25/10)

4. "Tema za pop LP" (3:39) Hohner clavinet with the rhythm section establish a very 70s funky base over which horns and female vocalists establish some hip-1960s surf- and bassa-nova-infused sounds and melodies. More great organ work beneath the horns which continues to remind me of the greats of the late 1960s like Auger, Rod Argent, Steve Winwood, and Jerry Corbetta (SUGARLOAF). Hip and cool but very dated. (9/10)

5. "Rokenrol dizajner" (2:56) more "early" R&B-modelled BS&T- and Chicago-inspired jazz-rock. Vocals enter in the second minute sounding not unlike Bill Withers. Some excellent bongo and trumpet play in the third minute before Pop plays his organ off of his clavinet in a very cool way. Banked horns and drums loosen up a little in that final 30 seconds and then poof! It's over! (9/10)

6. "Ostavi trag" (4:55) bass, sustained organ chords, and hand percussion support female vocalist Josipa Lisac's very passionate Lulu/Yvonne Ellemann-like vocal (presumably in Croatian). Electric piano and percussionists play off of each other in the instrumental passage occupying the third minute. Nice, smooth/chill soprano sax solo in the final minute. (8.875/10)

7. "Telepatija" (2:56) the choral vocal dominated attempt to recreate the Latin/Caribbean sounds of Sergio Mendes' Brazil '66 and Santana. Nicely coopted and performed--especially in the alternating group conversations between the women and men. (8.875/10)

8. "Berlin II" (4:41) Another song that feels a little mired in the surf- and burgeoning hippie culture of the mid- to late- 1960s--yet, again, I can only compliment Pop for his excellent integration and acculturation of said sounds and styles: heard on an American radio station I have no doubt that nearly all listeners would be tricked into thinking/believing that this music had to be coming from an American or perhaps even English band. (8.75/10)

Total Time: 34:15

The musicianship, compositional quality, and vocal performances are all deserving of superlatives--even in spite of the fact that Pop Asanovic is trying so hard (and accomplishing so well) the emulation of so many jazz-rock and jazz-pop musical styles that became popular in America during the 1960s.

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of very solid and enjoyable jazz-rock and Latin-rock infused music. Definitely recommended to all my fellow jazz-rock/fusion lovers.