Vlatko Stefanovski: Until I Satisfy My Artistic Appetites

Reflecting on Years of Innovation, Collaboration, and Melodic Mastery

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It's not easy to describe what Vlatko Stefanovski does with his guitar; he has been on a quest for his whole career to discover the real possibilities of the instrument. People tend to believe he was born with a guitar in his hands, and this is hard to argue. For the last fifty years, his work with his band Leb i Sol and his solo output has reflected his diverse tastes and delicate guitar playing. Only a few people have John McLaughlin, Mark Knopfler, Allan Holdsworth, and Joe Satriani praising their work. His precise, flowing style was one of the identifying trademarks of Leb i Sol's sound, and regardless of whether he is playing acoustic or electric guitar, Stefanovski has demonstrated musical qualities that have made him one of the most exciting and progressive European guitarists.

This year, Stefanovski celebrates two milestones: the 20th anniversary of the Treta Majka album, a record he made with guitarist Miroslav Tadic and kavalist Theodosii Spasov, and the 50th anniversary of his career as a musician in 2024.

Stefanovski started his career early in bands such as VIS Jegulje, Iris, and Breg (the last fronted by keyboard player Miki Petkovski). The band Leb i Sol was formed on January 1, 1976, by Vlatko, Bodan Arsovski, Dimitrija Chuchovski, and Nikola Kokan Dimushevski. During their twenty-year existence, the band achieved enormous popularity in what is now known as former Yugoslavia, which can be compared with Springsteen or other major pop acts at the top of their game. The band made a name for itself with its live and memorable performances, which, even at quite an early stage of its career, gave it an opportunity to perform in front of a crowd of 100,000 people. That period was very productive for the band as it recorded twelve albums and wrote music for numerous films and plays.

One of the main features was its approach toward covering Macedonian folk tunes (Aber Dojde Donke, Yovano Yovanke), which at the time was still uncharted territory that it threaded bravely. The lineup constantly shifted, but Vlatko Stefanovski and bassist Bodan Arsovski formed the core. To mark its 20th anniversary, in 1996, the band released a double compilation Anthology, a collection of some of its best work to date and a worthy swan song.

 Since then, the band has remained inactive, but its members have pursued successful solo careers. The first solo recording that Vlatko ever did was "Cowboys and Indians" while he was still with the band. The lineup featured many guests, even exclusive ones, such as Goran Bregovic, Zlatko Oridjanski, actress Ana Kostovska, master drummer Mahmut Muzafer, Ilija Pejovski, Goce Dimitrovski, etc.

His next project, titled "Sarajevo," was recorded in 1993, and it was music recorded for a play written by Vlatko's brother Goran Stefanovski and was directed by Slobodan Unkovski. The CD was released in 1996 after the civil war in Bosnia ended.

In 1997, he released the soundtrack for Stole Popov's movie Gypsy Magic, and the title track "Gypsy Song" became an instant hit throughout the Balkans. Today, it can regularly be found featured in many world music compilations. The soundtrack was bolstered by the exclusive performances of master musician Medo Chun of Ensemble Teodosievski fame and Gazmend Berisha (Project Zlust).

Later, in 1997, together with Miroslav Tadic, a professor at CalArts in LA, he recorded Krushevo, a collection of traditional songs and reels played on two guitars, which to this very day is one of the highlights of his career as a recording and performing artist. For five days, they recorded their music at the Makedonium in the city of Krushevo. By the end of 1998, he released an album with his Trio, titled Vlatko Stefanovski Trio, a tour de force featuring some heavyweight performances by Vlatko and his Trio. He wrote music for several films, later collected and released as "Kino Kultura" in 2001.

During this period, he made guest appearances on various artists' records like Bojan Zulfikarpasic's Koreni, Vanja Lazarova's Ritmistica, Gibonni's Judi, Zviri i Beshtimje, and Mirakul, to name but a few. The work he did with Gibonni proved to be very fruitful and successful, both commercially and artistically, as well as allowing him to meet and work with musicians such as Manu Katche, Pino Paladino, Tony Levin, Geffrey Oriema, who would later perform on his next solo effort titled as "Kula Od Karti" (Tower Of Cards). Last year, he released Treta Majka, a continuation of his work with Miroslav Tadic. The conversation with Vlatko occurred first in one of Skopje's many clubs and then at his home studio, Ezoteria. This mix of the urban and the domestic contributed to a vibrant discussion covering a broad and dazzling spectrum of topics. I must admit that Vlatko is among the most exciting interlocutors I've ever encountered.

The interview was published 20 years ago, and the reason behind it was the album "Treta Majka" with Miroslav Tadic, which he will tour behind in 2024. Plenty of things mentioned in this interview have changed since then. Some people in Stefanovski's closest circle have gone, new releases have been published, and even Leb i Sol regrouped for a tour. Most importantly, this is where he was 20 years ago.

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VC: How did you and Miroslav Tadić meet? When someone analyzes your and Tadić's biographies, it is evident that you two have different career paths on different continents and apparently different affinities. What made you decide to work with him?

Vlatko Stefanovski: I have a theory that musicians recognize each other, and if they are destined to collaborate, they will. They mainly recognize each other according to the class to which they belong. If they are punk-rocker kids from the neighborhood, they will form a band. If they are musicians who are going to play in pubs and restaurants, they are going to recognize each other, form a band, and play together. If it's about musicians playing jazz and going to jazz festivals, for example, then they will meet and work together.

Something similar happened with us. We met in Belgrade at the concert of our mutual friend, the late bassist Vojin Drashkotzi. To his infinite delight, he was the one that introduced us. For a while, he had an idea to introduce us to each other since he had the impression that we had similar affinities and should meet, although the paths that our careers and lives had taken were quite different. I grew up and worked here in Macedonia and the Balkans (now known as former Yugoslavia). In contrast, he took a different path, i.e., he first went to study in Italy and then to the USA, where he is still working today.

Two important things bring us together: love and obsession for the guitar as an instrument and the love for traditional Macedonian music. And that's not all, as it has become more expensive and includes different musical traditions from this part of the world. Therefore, it was logical for us to meet. When we met, it was logical to play together, to exchange ideas and experiences related to music and guitar playing, issues and experiences that he is well acquainted with (through his avant-jazz approach) with the things that I know about and have experienced myself (through my rock'n'roll background).

One can sense many things in Miroslav's playing since he graduated from a classical music academy. He studied Bach, studied and played blues music, and even delved into Brazilian music and flamenco. Miroslav is entirely devoted to what he does to the point of fanaticism. I'm different, as I give myself the freedom to write lyrics, make arrangements, compose, make recordings, form and disband bands, and play with other people. I'm more nervous as a character, and my projects last until I satisfy my artistic appetites.

VC: Since "Treta Majka" is the last of a trilogy that started with "Krushevo," how did you choose the songs that have appeared both on "Krushevo" and "Treta Majka?"

VS: The choice was very spontaneous. From our archives, we took what he knew and what I knew, and we exchanged ideas easily and made them happen quickly. The music is already there, a living and breathing thing, and one should open their ears and eyes to play it. If you already know how to play a guitar and have a good command of your guitar skills, you can quickly master certain types of songs (pop, folk, rock'n'roll). You can even master more complicated reels and rhythms.

This can be learned quickly since all of that is already in our minds, souls, and genes. We carry all that stuff within ourselves. It's like passive luggage from which one can draw and take, which should be researched and sometimes even freed of. Your head is constantly swirling with plenty of ideas, ideas waiting to be given shape, and there is a moment when one should sit down and make them real, i.e., you have to materialize your own dreams, ideas, and passions.

VC: What was the starting point for "Treta Majka," since "Krushevo" and "Live in Belgrade" were based on the same subject? What were some basic ideas of what this record should be and should not be about?

VS: By principle, I love to dig up things that haven't been done before or haven't been performed often. On the other hand, Miroslav thinks that this is one of my local-minded prejudices. An example is "Kalesh Angjo," a tune I have played at least a hundred times before. His reply was, "Yes, you have played that tune a hundred times before, but no one in the USA, Germany, or England knows it, and people there will really appreciate it if you play it for them," which is true.

For some people who are beginners and who are about to start exploring Macedonian music, it's like you are serving them a delicious piece of cake for the first time. To me, this is very interesting, intriguing, and exciting. I have previously recorded "Ne Si Go Prodavaj Koljo Čiflikot" (Don't Sell Your Land Koljo) with my rock trio, and I opposed it by saying that I had already recorded it in another format and we should choose another tune. But he was delighted by this song, and I relented to his arguments. On the other hand, I enjoy encountering something I don't know, like the Turkish folk tune "Anadolu," which I took to heart immediately. This is great because such moments are pretty interesting, making playing even more enjoyable. The choice of material was very spontaneous, and this isn't a case of selecting a song two minutes before a session starts, but there are things on this album that we had worked on two to three years before it.

The technology for making music can be compared to food making, i.e., it doesn't matter what ingredients you put in the pot; what matters is how it will taste in the end. Because of that, Miroslav and I are letting the music flow from our hands without consulting or deliberating on concepts. Let's play and record, and later, we shall see what we have done. No one can tell in advance what the final result will look like.