The Great Yugoslav Songbook

On 5 June 2012, Vesna Pisarović released her sixth studio album, With Suspicious Minds marking her debut in the jazz genre. This artistic transition marked a significant departure from her previous pop-oriented works and marked the inception of a new phase in her career. The album did not feature any original compositions; instead, they exclusively comprised cover versions of songs originally performed by Elvis Presley. Over the subsequent years, Pisarović actively participated in numerous jazz concerts, with a notable concentration of performances in Germany and Croatia. In late 2015, she initiated the production of her forthcoming second jazz album. == Recording ==

In a late 2016 interview with tportal, Pisarović disclosed her longstanding ambition to release an album featuring Yugoslav classics, a project she had contemplated for the past decade. She revealed that her pursuit of this endeavor commenced in earnest when she crossed paths with Maja Perfijeva, a Croatian lyricist known for her contributions to some of Indexi's songs. It features renditions of popular Yugoslav songs from the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970's such as Arsen Dedić, Tereza Kesovija and Indexi. == Release and promotion ==

The album was released in two distinct versions. The initial version, titled The Great Yugoslav Songbook, made its debut in the German market on 11 November 2016, and was made available in CD, digital, and streaming formats through Jazzwerkstatt. Subsequently, a second edition, titled Naša velika pjesmarica, was released on 17 April 2017, via PDV Records, specifically tailored for the Croatian and ex-Yugoslavian market. Vinyl LPs were also released for the Croatian version in late 2017. The album's initial single, "Balada," a cover of Indexi's identically titled composition, was released in advance of the album in 2016. "Bijela lađa plovi morem", originally performed by Zvonimir Krkljuš, was released as the album's second single in 2017. Following this, the album's third single, "Nogometna utakmica", a reinterpretation of Rita Pavone's "La partita di pallone", was subsequently released in March 2018. Between 2017 and 2019, Pisarović actively promoted the album through a series of intimate jazz concerts in both Croatia and Germany. In the promotion of the album, Vesna Pisarović conducted concert tours in several cities, including Rijeka, Osijek, and Zagreb. == Track listing ==

Credits adapted from AllMusic. ;Notes • "Bijela lađa plovi morem" is a cover of the 1955 song of the same name, performed by . • "Ti si obala ta" is a cover of the 1974 song of the same name, performed by Bisera Veletanlić. • "Balada" is a cover of the 1972 song of the same name, performed by Indexi. • "Sve što znaš o meni" is a cover of the 1969 song of the same name, written and performed by Arsen Dedić. • "Daleko, daleko" is a cover of the 1967 song of the same name, written and performed by Arsen Dedić. • "Ne pali svetla u sumrak" is a cover of the 1962 song of the same name, performed by Lola Novaković. • "Nogometna utakmica" is a cover of the 1963 song of the same name, performed by ; which itself is a Croatian-language cover of "La partita di pallone" (1962), penned by Carlo Rossi and composed by Vianello, and performed by Rita Pavone. • "Nemam te" is a cover of the 1987 song of the same name, performed by Tereza Kesovija. • "Tiha tugo moja" is a cover of the 1974 song of the same name, performed by Dalibor Brun. • "Zvižduk u osam" is a cover of the 1959 song of the same name, performed by Đorđe Marjanović. • "Svemu dođe kraj" is a cover of the 1967 song of the same name, performed by Beti Jurković. • "Idem i ja... Ne, ti ne!" is a cover of the 1968 song of the same name, performed by ; which itself is a cover of "Vengo anch'io. No, tu no" (1967), written by Dario Fo, Jannacci and Fiorenzo Fiorentini, and performed by Jannaci. == Personnel ==

Credits adapted from Amazon Music. • Vesna Pisarović – Vocals • Chris Abrahams – Piano • Greg Cohen – Double Bass • Tony Buck – Drums • Francesco Bigoni – Saxophone • Gerhard Gschlößl – Trombone • Dieb13 – Turntables, Sampler • Walter Quintus – Mixing, Mastering == Release history ==