August 21, 2019 – The ‘Aj Cha’ festival dedicated to Dino Dvornik will not be held in Split this year, which was confirmed by the organizers on Tuesday.
“This year we will not organize the festival, but we are already preparing for the next one. We have paused for a number of reasons this year, but plan to honor Dino in continuing the organization of the festival,” the organizers answered briefly for Dalmatinski Portal.
Recall, the first festival dedicated to Dino Dvornik and funk music was held in 2017 at several locations – at the old Hajduk grounds, on the Riva stage in front of the Splitska banka, on Bačvice beach and at the Bačvice Summer Cinema. The program was led by the Songkillers who opened the festival. The day after, Jinxi performed, and on the final day, a concert of ‘Split kids’ was held, featuring Neno Belan and Fiumensi, Marijan Ban and Diktatori, the Official Dino Dvornik Tribute Band with Nikola Marjanović, and as a special surprise guest – Gibonni.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=XXnX8yRO_ZE
The festival is held in Split, Dino’s beloved hometown and where his stardom began, which had a great impact on his career and music. The second edition was opened by Noa & Funkblasters, featured Psihomodo pop who played at Bedem Cornaro, and closed with Dubioza kolektiv.
Dino Dvornik was a Croatian musician, singer, composer, songwriter, and actor born in Split on August 20, 1964.
Dino was born as the second child of famous actor Boris Dvornik and mother Diana Tomić. From an early age, he was destined for the spotlight, and along with older brother Dean, he appeared in Miljenko Smoje’s cult series “Naše Malo Misto”.
Dino soon found out that it was not acting he was after, and decided to pursue music instead.
In 1981 when he was 17, he created a funk composition named “Kineski Zid” with brother Dean. The name of the group paid homage to the name of the building they lived in. Namely, “Kineski Zid” referred to one of two twin buildings in Split in the quarter of Spinut which was built in 1971. Located near Poljud Stadium, the buildings are the longest buildings with the largest number of squares and flats in Split.
Kineski Zid was inspired by the musical genre of funk and was influenced especially by the sounds of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Kool and the Gang, George Benson, Earth Wind and Fire. Thus, Dino and Dean are known to have recorded the first funk material in former Yugoslavia. After the release of the album and a difference in ideas between Dino and Dean, Dino turned to a solo career that would one day consider him the Croatian King of Funk.
Dino’s music marked the late 80s and early 90s, and more often than not, Dino’s songs are still played in clubs around Croatia today. We’re sure you’ll recognize some of these.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=hmNMZPbAJbg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=L03El4_gZsc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=P5J7QcHPQKg
Dino was a four-time winner of the biggest music award in Croatia, the Porin, and was nominated a total of eight times. Two Porins were awarded to Dino in 1996 for the song “Afrika”, in 1998 he won the Porin for the album “Enfant terrible” for the best production, and in 1999 he won for the best album, “Vidi of pisme”.
Dino was survived by his wife, Danijela, and his daughter Ella who have both helped to give Dino life after death through their projects.
This year marks the eleventh anniversary of the Croatian King of Funk’s untimely death, though no festival will be held in his memory.
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