Dusko Goykovich was invited in the summer of 2003 by Zoran Zivkovic, then President of the Republic of Serbia, to make a musical contribution to the official celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Serbian nation. The world-famous trumpeter, who was born in Jajce (now Bosnia-Herzegovina) in 1931, began his long, international jazz career with the Belgrade Radio Big Band when he was 18 years old. Serbian music has inspired him for decades: Dusko was not only the founder of the Balkan jazz movement (with his album "Swinging Macedonia" in 1966), but has used Balkan melodies and rhythms in very different contexts. Naturally, he accepted Zivkovic's invitation with pleasure -- and he suggested putting together an international big band for this special occasion.

In February 2004, The International Jazz Orchestra was formed -- with exceptional musicians from the USA, Japan, Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Belgium, Austria, France, Slovenia and, of course, Serbia. With the support of the Serbian state as well as the US Embassy, the Austrian Cultural Forum in Belgrade, the British Council, the French Cultural Center, the Goethe Institute and the Italian Cultural Institute, a top international event was created to revitalize Serbian jazz life. After a sold-out concert, the orchestra went into the studio for two days -- and the result is an album that delivers the essence of Dusko Goykovich's big band philosophy.

Apart from two special features for trombonist and vocalist Phil Abraham ("Don't Get Around Much Anymore") and ex-Basie Orchestra altoist Brad Leali ("Jeep's Blues"), the album features only Dusko's arrangements. These include two great standard ballads ("I Fall In Love Too Easily", "Summertime") as well as four of Dusko's own evergreens: the soul-jazzy "A Handful O' Soul", the uneven "Yugo Blues", the beboppy "Remember Dizzy" and the Serbian-tinged "Balkan Blue". Thanks to Dusko's relaxed arrangements and a pile of gripping solos (including from British alto wizard Peter King, German baritone expert Michael Lutzeier and, of course, the bandleader himself), "A Handful O' Soul" sparkles with jazz orchestral brilliance