Venue: Cankarjev dom / Ljubljana / Slovenia
Concert date: 11.10.2007
Attendance: 300
Ticket price: 6.50 to 14.50 EUR
Bratko Bibič is best known as the accordionist of Begnagrad, where he and his bandmates of the time made music that ranked among the most innovative in Slovenia. They weren’t afraid to try something new. Nothing was taboo, pretty much every genre was fair game and got used, and there was plenty of sonic experimentation too. On the Yugoslav scene of the day they were something special, and I’d even dare say we’ll never see a band like that again.
After leaving Begnagrad, Bibič didn’t rest on his laurels. He worked a lot with other respected musicians, though he was never again as much in the spotlight as he was with Begnagrad. This time he decided to play Cankarjev Dom, where he and his new lineup were warmly received by a pretty decent crowd. Bibič himself said he was surprised by the turnout, since he’d been afraid there would be fewer people in the audience than on stage (there were eleven of them up there).
The show kicked off with a rather classical-leaning piece, just as the title suggests. Next came the suite “Encore”, which wandered between avant-garde jazz, classical, folk and even medieval troubadour music. “Na domačem vrtu” is a number with plenty of Slovenian folk influence, but with Bibič nothing is ever that one-sided. He threw elements of jazz into the folk and spiced things up nicely. Then came a composition by the Swiss composer M. Flueckiger. That went a long way toward explaining the name of the ensemble (another piece was by the same composer). The piece itself is classical, with a touch of Celtic folk. For me it was the high point of the show, because some of the melodies were so moving I got goosebumps down my back. Later, a “naughty” whistle and a saw, on which the clarinetist conjured up weird effects, had me laughing. After that came a song built more on Alpine folk motifs and occasionally on jazz. Then there was another piece by the same Swiss composer, again rooted in (avant-garde) classical, with a couple of interesting jazz improvisations thrown in. A new suite followed, which began with experiments on the whistle and then morphed into jazz. The drummer used little bells in this one, which entertained me no end. “Odvod” is yet another blend of classical, jazz and folk, again with some gorgeous passages. Before the next piece there was a bit of vocal chaos, with Bibič and another band member yodeling and generally raising a racket. Then Bibič announced that this was the title of their last tune. Clearly he still has the same sense of humor as back in the Begnagrad days. The next composition was based on Alpine folk with a hint of Slavic melody. Then the band said goodbye, but we managed to call them back after all. In the more singer-songwriter folk number “Petelinje”, Bibič showed himself a witty lyricist and vocalist this time, and bid the Ljubljana crowd farewell in a really lovely way.
I rarely come across a gig that moves me emotionally. I’m a pretty cold person by nature, but Bibič’s music swept me away at times. With its superb melodies and varied arrangements, it charmed me even more. The various combinations of styles were especially interesting. Mostly it was classical music, but with touches of jazz, avant-garde, folk and who knows what else, it gained extra dimensions. The music is probably a bit more accessible than with Begnagrad, but I wouldn’t say it’s simple by any stretch. You have to dive into it and let it take you.
Bratko Bibič surrounded himself with nothing but excellent musicians, who helped him realize his current ideas. He proved he’s still an exceptional accordionist and composer. He also showed that if you want to demonstrate to people that you’re capable and talented, you don’t need to overdo it with self-indulgent solo spots. Bibič proved to be a very good “team player”. He didn’t subordinate the music to his ego; what clearly matters to him is only quality and superb compositions. For the most part he left the solos to others on stage, yet his skill still came through more than enough. Besides Bibič, the lineup had three string players (violin, viola and double bass), four wind players, a pianist, a drummer and an additional accordionist. The pianist sometimes got up and joined the other strings. The strings and piano gave the music a strong classical flavor, while the winds (apart from the classical flute) kept the jazz balance. The drummer was truly brilliant, and he shone on some other percussion too, especially when he was hitting some special kind of box on one song. The second accordionist added to the richer accordion sound, and he and Bibič clicked really well. The double bassist also picked up an acoustic guitar a few times and played some really beautiful parts on it. I’m running out of superlatives to describe a concert like this. Everything was at an exceptionally high level, except that the show was a bit too short (just over an hour). If you’re enjoying a gig the way I was, another half hour would have felt great. But there was some wisdom in that move too – it’s better to leave the stage while the audience still wants more, so you leave an even better impression. Here’s hoping for as many more concerts like this as possible!
Thanks to Bratko Bibič for so kindly sending me the setlist along with the composers’ names.
Setlist
1. Gallusovina (B. Bibič, Arr. M. Sekne)
2. Encore 3 W (B. Bibič)
3. Encore 2 W (B. Bibič)
4. Encore 1 W (B. Bibič)
5. Na Domačem Vrtu, Part 1: Melos; Part 2: Finale (B. Bibič)
6. Ramona (M. Flueckiger)
7. Hymera Laborae – Part 1, 2, 3 (B. Bibič)
8. Alpruf (M. Flueckiger)
9. Labis Carniolus, Part 1: Martinje; Part 2: Od Boršta Do Laborja; Part 3: Majnica; Part 4: Martinje (B. Bibič)
10. Odvod/Ableitung Part 1: Intromezzo Di Guarda, Ali: Guter Geist Aus Gruenenwald; Part 2: Odvod/Ableitung (B. Bibič)
11. Šackamra. Aus Der Schatzkammer Des Unbewussten (Bibič)
12. Petelinje (B. Bibič)
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