Produced by Franco Morone
Sound engineer:
Davide Roveri
Technical assistent:
Luca Lelli

 

It was my great privilege that one of the world leading fingerstyle guitar players, Franco Morone, accepted to produce this album. While hanging around with him during recording this album, I found out that Franco was, as him name says, very frank, humorous person. I remember that one night I asked him if it was wise to leave my guitar in the car in front of the studio as someone might steel it and he replied that I should be happy if so happened because I would have to buy a new, better instrument. He said that it was not a 12-strings guitar but only 12 strings. Then he presented a whole arsenal of his precious guitars. I chose one and used it for the entire album. It was a pleasure to work with Franco, Meri Trošelj, sound-engineer Davide Roveri and technical assistant Luca Lelli. After numerous pizzas and carbonaras as well as large quantities of beer and Ambrusco wine, I got familiar with a part of life in Bologna, city that quite impressed me, among other things, by its architecture.

 

Hal

 

Recorded at Quick Sound Recording Studio Bologna, Italy

1. VODAThis piece consists of three clearly distinct parts. The first one, emerging in the beginning, and returning once again later, however, this time with arrangement based on traditional music from the northwest Croatian region. The second part is "borrowed" from the classical guitar, while the third part features percussion playing technique and Meri Trošelj's voice with a touch of ethno. 
2. ATLANTISAtlantis was written during my stay in Sweden, arranged for band and originally consisting of two parts. This guitar version is actually an intro. 
3. BRELABrela, a small town in Dalmatia, Croatian region on the Adriatic Sea, most appropriately characterized by mandolin. When I heard  «Recuerdos de la Alhambra» by F. Tarrega for the first time, it seemed as if there had been a mandolin and a guitar playing simultaneously, which is achieved by classical guitar tremolo technique, in this case transposed for steel string guitar spiced with open tuning and melody based on typical Dalmatian and Mediterranean mood.  
4. HIGH NOON EXPRESSDuring development of the blues in USA, in the early part of the past century, great many black musicians were working on the railroad, playing guitar during lunch breaks or occasional parties held on spot. Therefore, many song titles refer the railroad.  Sometimes white musician used to come and learn from Negroes, who played during their quite rare leisure time. Later, white pioneers of steel string guitar commenced with mentioning trains in their songs, a good example of which is  «The Last Steam Engine Train» by John Fahey. «High Noon Express» in intended as a "2003 John Fahey" leaning on the blues tradition and modern playing technique. 
5. CATAMARANCatamaran is one the songs using elements of both classical and steel string guitar playing techniques, and the performance is identical on both instruments, and, I believe, it represents the future development of these instruments as nowadays, their mutual influence is inevitable. 
6. MEDITERRANEAThe title is derived from the homonymous play, for which it was originally written. This is the solo guitar version, identical to the one of two guitar lines of original theatre version. The second guitar line in theatre version plays prominently Mediterranean melody. 
7. OCEANPioneering musicians that set new standards and influenced entire generations of guitarist are indispensable for the modern steel string guitar. Without any doubts, Michael Hedges is one of these and the «Ocean» has been performed under influence of his music, in open tuning, he used so frequently. 
8. C'EST LA VIEMy dilemma was as to whether to play «C'Est Ls Vie» on classical or steel string guitar since it was originally written for the classical guitar, but, on the other hand, the metal sound of steel string guitar added some peculiar charm.   
9. MOSQUITOLike in  «High Noon Express», blues tradition footing is noticeable, with a touch of modern playing technique.   «Mosquito» was born on island Lošinj in hot summer of mid '90, when a single mosquito makes you go into boogie-blues. 
10. TELAC«Telac» resulted from distressing events happened in the place I live, caused by arrogance and haughtiness of local politicians and their attitude toward the art.  The piece is dedicated to the most arrogant and the haughtiest of them. This piece is the only one played on 12-string guitar.  In Rijeka hinterland's dialect (North Adriatic) «telac» means calf and it is often used abusively.  
11. UNPLUGGED CHETIs it necessary to say that this one was inspired by great Chet Atkins? Woody Mann liked it the best of all songs on demo CD while Franco Morone did not like it. Well, some of my favorite guitar players have opposite views on the same thing. Considering the wide genre range of my music, it is quite often that I heard opposite opinions, which is very interesting to me. 
12. JAZZ BA?«Jazz ba?» is the oldest piece on the album. It was written when I was 14, and, with slight modifications, it survived till today. I remember that I was influenced by album «Virtuoso» by Joe Pass at the time. The title  «Jazz ba?» is kind of linguistic joke with a Bosnian saying, that could be roughly translated in English as «What's up?». 
13. OMAGGIO FLOREALEDuring recording, Meri suggested that «Balkanita» might be a more appropriate title considering strong influences from various Balkans regions. Why on earth title in Italian for a song with such a prominent Balkans motifs? I don't have a clue! Does everything in life must have some logical explanation?!  
14.THE PATHWe were having a good time while mixing this piece with Davide adding and Franco reducing reverb. Live version is accompanied by slide-show with showing portraits of people reflecting the transience of life. 
15.PACIFIC«Pacific», originally written as a rock piece arranged for the band. This version is closer to the rock original back in the initial phase when such pieces were born; only guitar and voice seeking for "the best" solution.