Ansambel Spev

Ansambel Spev is a Slovenian narodnozabavna band from Šmartno ob Paki, founded in 2002. Its six members play folk-pop and popular music built on four-part singing, and they are also known for their many Slovenian versions of Dalmatian songs.

The founders were leader and accordionist Erik Hribernik, bassist Kristijan Kolenc, guitarist Boštjan Mežnar and singer Marko Berzelak, soon joined by a second singer, Edo Rednak. This line-up stayed together until 2017, when Hribernik, too busy to keep playing, handed the accordion to Vili Mravljak while staying on for a time as leader; later in 2017 Kristijan Kolenc took over as leader. Today the band is Boštjan Mežnar (first tenor), Edo Rednak (baritone, bass guitar), Kristijan Kolenc (bass guitar, second tenor), Marko Berzelak (drums, first bass), Matevž Mikek (guitars) and Vili Mravljak (accordion, keyboards).

Festival success came early. In 2004 they were the best debutants at Graška Gora poje in igra, and in 2005 they won the festivals of Marija Reka and Vurberk and returned to Graška Gora as absolute winners. In 2006 they were best trio at Števerjan, in 2007 "Edino upanje" was named best waltz at Slovenska polka in valček, and the same year they took the Korenova plaketa at the Ptuj festival.

They are best known for their bond with Lojze Slak, who once told them they reminded him of his own ensemble. Together they recorded the album Po Slakovi poti, and every year Spev hold a concert of the same name in the Red Hall in Velenje, recorded and broadcast by RTV Slovenija. With Slak's permission they recorded several of his songs, among them "Minili sta že leti dve" with Tanja Žagar, and after his death in 2011 they recorded "Spev za godca" in his memory. Their Dalmatian versions include "Neskončno sem jo ljubil" (Ne diraj moju ljubav) and "Pel bi zate" (Da te mogu pismom zvati).

Ansambel Spev have released albums including Klic ruševca (2004), Reci, da boš moja (2006), Pet pomladi (2007), Pel bi zate (2009), Mirno sanjaj (2011), Spev za godca (2013), Priredbe najlepših dalmatinskih (2014) and Ona diši po pomladi (2017). They have played for Slovenian emigrants in the USA in 2006 and in Canada in 2008.