Slobodan Kovačević


Slobodan "Bodo" Kovačević (29 December 1946 – 22 March 2004) was one of the greatest rock guitarists in former Yugoslavia, with unprecedented virtuosity even to these days. He began his musical career in early sixties with the Sarajevo band "Wanderers" and few years later in the mid sixties joined "Indexi", where Davorin Popović was already a singer.

Biography

The birth certificate is registered as a Slobodan A. Kovačević, with middle letter representing the name of his father - Adem . During the musical career he became widely known by his nickname "Bodo" . He graduated architecture at the Sarajevo University, but the love for music won his heart. He started musical career in early sixties, first as a guitarist of "Wanderers" and since 1965 in the band of "Indexi" where he spent most of his life . In his spare time he liked painting and watercolors were his favorite technique of expression .

In 1978 he received together with other members of "Indexi", prestigious "6th April Award" from the city of Sarajevo. The same year he won the award of JRT ( Yugoslav Radio and Television ) for his thematic masterpiece concept album " Dark-Blue River ", who was declared as an album of the year in Yugoslavia . In 2004 he got award Davorin as a best instrumentalist in Bosnia and Herzegovina .

Music career

He took his first musical steps as a high school student auditioning as a singer with well-known Yugoslavian composer-musician Kornelije Kovač (later a member of "Indexi" and leader of "Korni Grupa", Belgrade). Only when he began taking guitar lessons with professor Mile Praljak was his true talent discovered - for guitar playing.

He founded the group "Wanderers" in 1963 year, which already accounted rhythm guitarist Slobodan M. Kovačević (later in the group "More" ), Dusko Čorlija, bassist, drummer Vojo Šimšić and vocalist Zoran Vidović - Cojo . Members also included female singers Selma Koluder and Gordana Magaš (later a well-known Sarajevo ballerina and choreographer). The second set consisted of bassist Fadil Redžić and drummer Miroslav Šaranović, who both later joined the "Indexi". A recording from this period is Slobodan Kovačević's first instrumental composition "Snježni kristali" (Snow Crystals), which was recorded in the studio of Radio Sarajevo on April 16, 1965.

Kovačević moved into "Indexi" in the summer of 1965 and soon took with him the bassist Fadil Redzic from "Wanderers" . Both of them, along with the singer Davorin Popovic stayed in the band as a core members, until Popovic's death 2001.

The first major composition Bodo Kovacevic made for "Indexi" was titled "Pružam ruke" (I Reach Out) with lyrics by Nikola Borota. It was written in late 1966 and was recorded at Radio Sarajevo on February 13, 1967. With this composition "Indexi" took the part in the Yugoslav selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, which was organized in Ljubljana (winner was Slovenian singer Lado Leskovar with Vse rože sveta).

The composition "Pružam ruke" (I Reach Out) is significant in Yugoslavia's pop-rock scene because is considered to be the first domestically copyrighted pop / rock composition, and the first authentic pop / rock composition that has been played in their native language.

Slobodan Kovačević was the most prolific author in the Indexi, signing many of their most significant songs or composer, arranger and producer who dragged the group toward constant innovation and experimentation . Greatest musical songs and hits of Indexi were signed by Bodo alone ( "Tide", "Somewhere at the End of the Lull", "Dark-Blue River" ) or in cooperation with Fadil Redzic ( "Ballad", "The World in Which I Live") .

The band's masterpiece is a concept album "Dark-Blue River" from 1978. The idea was of Slobodan Kovačević, who was also the author of almost all songs on the album . The album was co-produced by Nicholas Borota, who was the lyricist and composer turned into one of the most important music producers of the region .

Slobodan Kovačević has worked extensively for other artists and various projects outside of pop and rock music . Among other things, he played guitar and participated in arranging the first and according to many, actually the best album of Croatian female singer Josipa Lisac, "Dnevnik jedne ljubavi" (Diary of One Love) in 1973. He composed theme music for the ceremony of the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, collaborated with Esad Arnautalić on his project "Muzika razpoloženja" (Music for Good Mood), wrote the music for the play " Mandragola " for "Chamber Theatre 55" in Sarajevo and "Posljednja potraga za zlatom" (Last Quest for Gold) for the National Theatre in Sarajevo. In the last two years of life he was music producer of B&H Eurosong .

At the beginning of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina he moved to Prague and returned to Sarajevo after the Dayton Agreement in 1995. In late March 1998, "Indexi" performed in Podgorica (Montenegro) and Belgrade (Serbia).

After the death of Davorin Popović in 2001, he devoted himself to jazz music and joined the "Sinan Alimanović Quintet" and played in the Dance Orchestra B&H .

Slobodan Kovačević wrote a total of more than 300 compositions. Most of these opuses is related to "Indexi", and then for theater performances and songs for other artists .

Slobodan Kovačević died on March 22, 2004 in Sarajevo and was buried in the "Alley of Greats" close to his band playmate and singer Davorin Popović. From 2006, in his honor, the Bodo Kovačević Award was founded for the best guitarist.

He was married with Edina Filipović (July 1981) and has a daughter, Hana.

Slobodan Kovačević's songs

References

    Awards and achievements
    Preceded by
    None    		 Pjesma Mediterana winner
    1992     		Succeeded by
    Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mićo Vujović
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