By 1976, Ljubljana was quietly becoming one of the most musically adventurous corners of Yugoslavia. Beneath the mainstream rock scene, a vibrant community of classically trained musicians had begun experimenting with jazz-rock, funk, and progressive composition — a world I explored in my piece on Ljubljana’s jazz-rock underground.
September was a supergroup in almost every sense: Janez Bončina on vocals and guitar, Petar Ugrin on electric violin, Ratko Divjan on drums, Braco Doblekar on saxophone and percussion, Čarli Novak on bass, and Tihomir “Pop” Asanović on keys. Many of them were already legends, having played in Time, Pro Arte, and Korni Grupa. Bončina himself was a man of many talents — an Academy of Fine Arts graduate and even a former U-21 Yugoslav footballer.
Their debut, Zadnja Avantura, released in 1976, feels like the work of musicians at the height of their creative powers — funky, progressive, electric, and soulful. It’s one of those albums where every track stands tall on its own, blending the discipline of jazz with the wild spirit of rock and the tenderness of soul.
The cover art — pebbles suspended in air or plunging into the water — mirrors the album perfectly: abstract, flowing, and ethereal.
Vrijeme Gospodar opens the album explosively. Jazzy drums, groovy guitar, and bold brass immediately set the tone, before Bončina’s warm, expressive vocals pull everything together. Halfway through, Petar Ugrin’s violin solo bursts through with heart and soul — one of those moments that remind you you’re listening to something special.
Život Nema Pravila keeps that mischievous groove alive. The bass prowls in the background while the guitar flickers with energy. Bončina’s vocals, soulful yet slightly theatrical, make the track feel like a mini stage performance — both playful and ominous.
Potop dives deeper into the band’s musical chemistry. The interplay between keys, bass, and percussion is so tight it feels telepathic. You might argue that the vocal style gets a bit repetitive by this point, but the instrumentation more than makes up for it — every second is bursting with color and precision.
Noć Kradljivca is a hidden gem. It opens with spacey, atmospheric keys before launching into one of the most infectious choruses on the album. There’s also a fantastic solo from Pop Asanović — the kind of cosmic keyboard moment that wouldn’t sound out of place on Majko Zemljo, his own solo masterpiece.
And then, of course, Ostavi Trag — the track that transcended time. It’s the band’s most famous song, by far, with over 10 million streams on Spotify. Those choral vocals arranged by Petar Ugrin in the intro are hauntingly beautiful — and were famously sampled by 9th Wonder on Kendrick Lamar’s “DUCKWORTH.” It’s slower, more sensual, and soaked in late-night melancholy. Even stripped of the sample’s fame, it remains a stunning piece of Yugoslav music — delicate, timeless, and unforgettable.
Zadnja Avantura captures a brief, golden moment in Yugoslav music history — when rock, jazz, funk, and soul merged in perfect harmony. As highlighted in my article on essential Yugoslav jazz albums, it’s the sound of musicians who knew their craft inside out and weren’t afraid to experiment.
September’s Zadnja Avantura bears the face of Ljubljana’s jazz-rock underground; it’s the scene’s calling card: a fiery, stylish fusion and endlessly groovy.
