Dušan Jakšić - Melodije Domaćih Autora FLAC

Dušan Jakšić was a booming baritone omnipresent on recordings of late 1950s/early 1960s pop festivals.

His voice, very melodic, somewhat grandfatherly, masculine and theatrical, was completely reflection of its times, when such things as proper diction, breathing and somber poise were seen as necessary tools for anybody who even contemplates being invited on radio, not to mention such high honor as big stages of national festivals. The most interesting thing about Jakšić was that he was also a serious theatre actor and singing was just a side job for him, even though he had recorded quite a number of singles and EP recordings that resulted with passionate love letters and all sorts of offers from ladies moved by this deep voice.

"Melodije Domaćih Autora" (1958) is a 8-song album collection of mostly Tango ballads where this 32 year old Don Juan croons exclusively homegrown repertoire. Since this recording coincidences with emergence of pop music in Yugoslavia, no wonder that it all sounds a bit same, because composers were still good 20 years behind new trends and all this romantic yearning could have been recorded back in 1940s. Not that anything is wrong with singer himself - he surely sounds good (very reminiscent of Milan Bačić) - but I heard local pop recordings from 1940s and believe me, these composers were stuck in time. Only wonderful Darko Kraljić, who was a Gershwin of his time, provides uplifting swing number and how great would have been if he got his own album, instead ubiquitous Mario Kinel who used his position in recording company to place not one, but two numbers here and he basically milks the same sound he already perfected with Ivo Robić (and even he had moved on). There is one serious classic here, though, the opening "Jesenja Elegija" that nicely show off singer's smooth, effortless voice and that will resurge 15 years later on album of his good friend Stjepan Jimmy Stanić.