Tomislav Goluban

Last updated

Tomislav Goluban
Born (1976-12-16) 16 December 1976 (age 48)
Zabok, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
(nowdays Croatia)
Genres Blues rock
Occupations
  • musician
  • composer
  • singer-songwriter
  • educator
  • radio DJ
Instruments
Years active1999–present
Labels
Member of Zabranjeno Pušenje
Website goluban.com

Tomislav Goluban (born 16 December 1976) is a Croatian blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter who has also worked as a composer, bandleader, educator, radio DJ, and festival organiser. [1] As of 2021, he has put out 12 studio albums. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Biography

Goluban was born in a house by the railroad track in Grabrovec (Zabok, Croatia) in Hrvatsko Zagorje, where he still lives. [1] He began playing the harp back in 1997, and his main drive was to revive the legacy of country/delta blues expression. He was inspired to do this after listening to Sonny Terry records. In his songs, Goluban combines country blues with Croatian traditional music. His nickname Little Pigeon is a liberal translation of his last name to English. [5] Performing as a solo artist, as part of a duo and performing with a band, Goluban has played in the United States and across many European countries at festivals and events such as the International Blues Challenge (USA), Notodden Blues Festival (Norway), Amal's Blues Festival (Sweden) and Blues sur Seine (France). He also came fourth place at World Harmonica Festival 2005 (Trossingen, Germany; Category: solo diatonic Blues/Rock/Folk/Country), and in 2004 the German website Harp Online, specialized in harmonica, proclaimed him "the player with the most ruthless scene performance ever." [1]

He won a couple of annual Croatian most prestigious national music awards ("Porin", "Status"), he is the founder of folk blues festival in his hometown region, he hosts a radio show specialized in blues on Croatian Radio, and was one of the founders and the first president of the "Croatian Blues Forces" association (national blues society) which won "Keeping the Blues Alive" award in 2019. [1]

His songs combine the genres of delta, country and Chicago blues, zydeco, rock'n'roll and world music. His music arrangements are various, ranging from raw delta duo sound to the full instrumental arrangement with 20 musicians playing one song.

His 10th album Chicago Rambler charted at No. 85 at Top 200 Blues Albums of 2019 by Roots Music Report. [6] It also charted at No. 5 at the Chicago Blues chart. His 11th album Memphis Light charted at No. 69 at Top 200 Blues Albums of 2020 by Roots Music Report, [7] and it also charted at No. 41 at the Contemporary Blues chart. [8]

Goluban also developed an educational blues music program, "The Harmonica in Blues". The program's aim is to inform children and pupils of basic terms in the world of harmonica and blues. It is presented to the pupils of elementary and high schools all over Croatia. [1]

Discography

Source [9] [10]

Solo albums
  • 200$ SUN Memphis Album (2010)
  • Blow Junkie (2014)
  • Kaj Blues Etno (2016)
  • Chicago Rambler (2019)
  • Memphis Light (2020)
  • Express Connection (2021)
  • Tatine priče i pjesme (2021)
  • 20 Years on the Road (2022)
  • Koncert Med bregi (2023) – live album
  • Crazy Hill Live (2023) – live album
  • Folkaj (2024)
  • Naj 20 (2025)
Tomislav Goluban & Little Pigeon's Forhill Blues
  • Pigeon's Flight (2005)
  • Mr. B. (2007)
  • Zagorje Blues (2009)
  • Med bregi (2012)
Collaborative albums
  • For a Friend & Brother (2015) – feat. Nebojša Buhin
  • Velvet Space Love (2018) – feat. Toni Starešinić
  • Nashville Road (2025) – feat. Crooked Eye Tommy
Zabranjeno Pušenje

Awards (selection)

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 HDS / Croatian Composers’ Society / Members: Goluban, Tomislav. Retrieved 16 February 2021. (in Croatian)
  2. ↑ Discogs: Tomislav Goluban (Credits). Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  3. ↑ AllMusic: Tomislav Goluban. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  4. ↑ AllMusic: Tomislav Goluban & Little Pigeon's Forhill Blues. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  5. ↑ Discogs: Tomislav "Little Pigeon" Goluban. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  6. ↑ Roots Music Report – Top Blues Album Chart for the Year of 2019: "Chicago Rambler" / Tomislav Goluban. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  7. ↑ Roots Music Report – Top Blues Album Chart for the Year of 2020: "Memphis Light" / Tomislav Goluban. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  8. ↑ Roots Music Report – Top Contemporary Blues Album Chart for the Year of 2020: "Memphis Light" / Tomislav Goluban. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "Tomislav Goluban". spona.com.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Tomislav Goluban Diskografija". goluban.com. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
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