Leb i sol ( mk, Леб и сол) is a

Macedonian Macedonian most often refers to someone or something from or related to Macedonia. Macedonian(s) may specifically refer to: People Modern * Macedonians (ethnic group), a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group primarily associated with North M ...

and former Yugoslav

rock group A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely of instrumentalists, ...

founded in the 1970s by Vlatko Stefanovski (

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

), Bodan Arsovski (

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and s ...

), Nikola Kokan Dimuševski ( keyboards) and Garabet Tavitjan (

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

). Tavitjan ceded the drumwork to Dragoljub Đuričić for some of the albums, while

Kiril Džajkovski Kiril Džajkovski (Djaikovski), ( mk, Кирил Џајковски ) – often credited as simply Kiril – is an internationally acclaimed Macedonian electronic musician and music composer. Biography In the early 1980s together with Milčo M ...

replaced Kokan on ''Kao Kakao'' and ''Putujemo''. Beside being the most eminent Macedonian band, they were also one of the most important acts of the Yugoslav rock scene.

History

"Leb i sol" is a traditional greeting which literally translates to "

bread and salt Bread and salt is a welcome greeting ceremony in some Slavic, Nordic, Baltic, Balkan and other European cultures as well as in Middle Eastern cultures. It is also shared with some non-Slavic nations—Lithuanians, Latvians (both Baltic), Roman ...

". It is often used as an expression of spite or determination; e.g. "I will eat ''bread and salt'' if I have to, but I will not give in!", but that has nothing to do with the band's name. More commonly, distinguished visitors to villages and communities would be offered a piece of home-baked bread and a dip of salt as a traditional welcome, which is where the name of the band really came from. Their music combined elements of rock,

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and key ...

and ethnic Macedonian music. As the band matured, the jazz influences became less obvious. However, in concert, Leb i sol performances of jazzed-up and lengthy versions of traditional ethno-folk classics such as "Jovano Jovanke" or "Aber Dojde Donke", were often received with great enthusiasm and cheer. Leb i sol were very popular in the 1970s and 1980s and, while not selling as many records as some pop and folk acts, were very well known and respected and often sold-out venues in most of the larger cities in Yugoslavia. The first two albums are often considered foundational, while most are diverse enough to be, at least in part, accessible to a fairly wide audience. The influence of ethnic music and

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has ...

Republic of Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...

are recognizable in the use of odd meters (5/4, 7/8) and non-traditional scales (e.g. the

Phrygian dominant scale In music, the Phrygian dominant scale is the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale, the fifth being the dominant.Dave Hunter (2005). ''Play Acoustic'', San Francisco: Backbeat, p. 226. . Also called the persian scale, altered Phrygian scale, ...

). While all the musicians were fairly accomplished, Vlatko Stefanovski is frequently regarded as an exceptional guitar

virtuoso A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...

Reunion

After splitting in 1995, the band members started successful solo careers and each of them released several solo albums. In 2006 Leb i sol gathered again for a successful reunion tour across the entire former Yugoslavia to mark the 30th anniversary of their formation. Later, Vlatko Stefanovski left the group. With a new line-up, in 2008, the band recorded a new studio album titled ''I taka nataka.'' An international concert tour is being planned.

Discography

*''Leb i sol'' ( PGP RTB, 1977) *''Leb i sol 2'' (PGP RTB, 1978) *''Ručni rad'' (PGP RTB, 1979) *''Beskonačno'' (PGP RTB, 1981) *''

Sledovanje Leb i sol ( mk, Леб и сол) is a Macedonian and former Yugoslav rock group founded in the 1970s by Vlatko Stefanovski (guitar), Bodan Arsovski (bass guitar), Nikola Kokan Dimuševski (keyboards) and Garabet Tavitjan (drums). Tavitjan ced ...

'' (PGP RTB, 1981) *''Akustična trauma''—Double Live (PGP RTB, 1982) *Kalabalak (

Jugoton Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, SR Croatia. History Jugoton was formed in 1947. It is notable for releasing some of the most important former Yugoslav pop and rock records ...

, 1983) *'' Tangenta'' (Jugoton, 1984) *''Zvučni zid'' (Jugoton, 1986) *'' Kao kakao'' (Jugoton, 1987) *'' Putujemo'' (Jugoton, 1989) *''Live Anthology -- Live in Kragujevac'' (1990) *''Live in New York''—CD/cassette (1991) *''Anthology''—Double CD compilation (1995) *''Live in Macedonia''—CD/DVD (2006) *''I taka nataka''—CD (

Hammer production A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nail (fastener), nails into wood, to sh ...

, 2008)

External links

Bodan Arsovski websiteNikola Dimuševski website
{{Authority control Macedonian rock music groups Macedonian jazz-rock groups Macedonian progressive rock groups Yugoslav rock music groups Yugoslav jazz-rock groups Yugoslav progressive rock groups