Author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Artist: Golob, Rok
Label: ZKP RTV Slovenija
Release: 2013
Rating: 4/5
Rok Golob is one of those miraculous conductors of the universal language of musical information from Slovenia’s Šentflorjan valley, the kind of guy the saying »If the sky’s limit, there’s no limits!« was made for. A man of unimaginable musical vision and talent, and one known in Slovenia to anyone who gives »music with musical substance« even a speck of daily attention! What’s more, Rok Golob is a recognized and respected name beyond our borders. Elmer Bernstein, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, Christopher Young, Joe Harnell, Martika, Jose Carreras, Gino Vannelli, Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Frank Zappa…), Luis Conte (Santana, Phil Collins, Madonna), Bendik (Steps Ahead), Jimmy Haslip (Yellow Jackets), Katia Morales, Steve Lukather (Toto) are just some of the names Rok has worked with in the past. So no messing around with this guy.
»Simfonična ekstaza« is the kind of work where Rok Golob is right at home! In the past he has already put his name to plenty of original pieces for symphony orchestras, all sorts of soloists and big bands, and he has written for film, radio and television. »Simfonična ekstaza« is a complex piece of work. It’s a kind of multi-polar »hybrid« of opera, film music, musical theater and orchestral suite, one that sensibly rubs shoulders with elements of rock, jazz, pop, even soul and R&B, and with something else on top, which gives it its special appeal! Slovenian folk melos! Throw together the Orkester Slovenske filharmonije and the Slovenski komorni zbor, crown the whole thing with a whole galaxy of special guests, and of course don’t forget to add the main spice to all of it. The commander! The composer, conductor and arranger who is guilty of this whole sweet sin! Rok Golob, that is.
»Simfonična ekstaza« had to ripen for years. There’s no doubt about that. It’s a broadly conceived, complex and ambitious work that seeks contact between many musical spheres and combines them to powerful effect in the melting pot of a maestro with a vast stock of ideas! »Simfonična ekstaza« is a gigantic musical body built from many, many pieces, fitted together with filigree precision and coexisting in remarkable musical harmony!
Rok Golob took a few pieces for Simfonična ekstaza from his earlier work, but in the reworked arrangements for this album they gain a whole new dimension of expression. Take Trip to Balkan, for example: Golob originally created it for the string quartet Quartissimo and his album »Love Symphony«. Rok had already played some of the folk songs on the album he made with Sašo Olejnuk, »Songs Of Slovenia« (Lipa zelenela je, Sijaj, sijaj sončece, Zrejlo je žito). Then there’s Dance of Laxeno, taken from Rok’s album »The Story Of Laxeno«. The rest of the material, apart from the additional reworkings of Slovenian folk songs, consists of new original creations.
It should be mentioned that the concert was actually longer. Some cuts were necessary for this release to fit on a single CD. So the album lost, for instance, Entratum VI from »The Story Of Laxeno«, as well as the fun number »Everybody Wants To Be A Drummer«, featuring David Morgan (Avtomobili, HeaveniX), Murat and Rok Golob. Also dropped from the disc was the composition Eternal, from Rok’s album »Planet življenja« (2004). Careful cuts also had to be made to the pauses between tracks, which shows in a few illogically chopped-off moments where the audience applause suddenly dies and a new number begins. It literally flips from a crescendo of enthusiasm to absolute silence. It’s up to you how much of an audio purist you are and how badly this bugs you. In principle it’s minor, and when you’re weighing a double CD against a single, a forgivable flaw.
Rok Golob really did polish his original pieces down to the last detail. The arrangements are at once wonderfully listenable and full of varied motifs. That’s precisely the big strength of this release. Its overall yield is an extremely likable appeal to the average ear. In fact, the album starts burrowing under your skin on the very first spin in the CD player. Its multifaceted platform, or rather the layered quality of the arrangements, comes to the fore in the background. In other words, the more often you spin this album, the more it will thrill you. Thanks to its rich musical messaging, you’ll be discovering this release for a long time.
»Prebujenje« is the opening operetta suite, cut in the manner of the ceremonial awakenings of Carl Orff (Carmina Burana)! That very element of solemn restraint is present throughout the album. It is masterfully poured through every point of the record and reaches an effective atmospheric crescendo in the gorgeous chorus, created by the duet of Nuška Drašček and Matjaž Robavs, caught in effective contrast. Dance Of Laxeno is a track driven by a seventies dance funk beat. Those good old days when there were no synthesizers yet and accompaniment made generous use of string arrangements and the like. It’s a lively number, noticeably well versed in jazz elements too, which Rok Golob takes care of with playful piano solo ornaments. Joureny Of One Soul is also an excellent fusion of orchestral elements with world music (a kalimba is added to the percussion lineup), symphonic escapades from the woodwind sections, all of it driven forward by the lead vocal of Tomi M. (Siddharta), superbly supported and colored by the choir.
This document can also be understood as a kind of tribute to the golden days of the Slovenian popevka. The golden era of the seventies, that is. Quite a few tracks fit that time with their retro sound. Such is Vedno prvi, where Urška Majdič shines on vocals, the already mentioned opener Noč želja, or later Signali with Eva Černe on vocals.
Rok also took on reworkings of some well-known traditional folk tunes and dressed them in tasteful, never-before-heard orchestral garb. Especially standing out for how well the new arrangements work are the Prekmurje song Zrejlo je žito, followed by Al me boš kaj rada mela, into which Rok slipped a few minor chords here and there, deepening the dramatic element of the song itself. »Simfonična ekstaza« is also given vivid variety by the arabesque-flavored »Trip to Balkan«. Fans of R&B and soul stuff » a la hit variant« in the style of Ray Chalres, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker,… will love When I Return, which Maja Keuc’s vocal interpretation seasons with a soul hairdo. The thing loses some of its common thread because of the fragmented ending in the folk-turned-standard Sija sijaj sončece and Rok’s solo insert. But the album rises again with the excellent Nov nor čas by the band Heaven X. Rok’s band Heaven X plays an entire original piece live, accompanied by the orchestra. We at least got something from this otherwise excellent lineup on an official recording, seeing as there’s no studio debut anywhere in sight! Simfonična ekstaza closes sensibly in a way similar to how it begins. Solemnly. In the style of an end-credits piece in film music, for which the track Desiderata is extremely handy.
Rok Golob really thought of everything for this release. He actually nailed the essence. »Simfonična ekstaza« is an album that embodies Rok Golob not only as a musical artist but also as a personality. The string of many different moods is remarkable, and the coined word »ecstasy« couldn’t fit the album’s title any better.The musical blend of the release is full of tangible musical expression and then some. In its vision it is unique and unrepeatable. A genuine ecstasy of emotion from the musical universe of Rok Golob!
It’s a shame this release didn’t see the light of day as a DVD and double CD in one package, and that cuts and adjustments were needed for it.
Lineup
Rok Golob – conductor, piano, synthesizer, percussion, keyboards
David Clark – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
Goran Rukavina – bass guitar
Roman Ratej – drums, percussion
David Morgan – drums, percussion
Martina Batič – conductor
Orkester Slovenske filharmonije
Vocal soloists:
Eva Černe – tracks 1 and 10
Nuška Drašček – tracks 2 and 15
Matjaž Robavs – track 2
Neža Drobnič – track 3
Tomi M – tracks 4 and 8
Katrinas – tracks 5 and 13
Urška Majdič – tracks 6 and 19
Sabina Cvilak – track 7
Lara B – track 8
Maja Keuc – tracks 11, 12 and 15
Boštjan Andrejc – track 16
Jadranka Juras – track 17
Tokac – track 17
Slovenski komorni zbor – track 18
Muat & Jose
Production
Rok Golob
Tracklist
1. Prebujenje (7:37)
2. Noč želja (3:35)
3. Dance of Laxeno (4:35)
4. Journey of One Soul (3:56)
5. Letim (3:58)
6. Vedno prvi (3:28)
7. Zrejlo je žito (5:22)
8. Al me boš kaj rada imela (4:30)
9. Trip to Balkan (5:21)
10. Signali (3:30)
11. When I return (2:17)
12. Ne ouri, ne sejaj (4:28)
13. Sijaj, sijaj, sončece (4:15)
14. Rok Keyboard Solo (2:06)
15. Lipa zelenela je (4:00)
16. Nov nor čas (4:03)
17. Nocoj je ena lušna noč (3:52)
18. Aleluja (3:25)
19. Desiderata (4:39)
