Del Arno Band, sometimes abbreviated to DAB, is a Serbian and Yugoslav reggae band formed in Belgrade in 1986. Del Arno Band are one of the pioneers of Serbian and Yugoslav reggae scenes and are considered the longest-lasting reggae band from the former Yugoslav region.
The group was formed by brothers Jovan (vocals, percussion) and Vladan MatiÃÂ (vocal, guitar, keyboards). Although prior to the band formation reggae songs and influences had been present on the Yugoslav rock scene, Del Arno Band are considered the first Yugoslav roots reggae band and the first Yugoslav reggae band to perform their own songs. The band gained prominence in the late 1980s, enjoying considerable mainstream popularity in Serbia during the following decades. During four decades of Del Arno Band's career, more than 150 members passed through the band, including a number of prominent musicians. Up to date, the band has released four studio albums, a live album and several compilations.
Brothers Jovan (vocals) and Vladan MatiÃÂ (guitar, vocals), fans of reggae music, formed a ten-piece band in 1986, naming it Del Arno Band. Although influences of reggae music had been present in the works of acts from the Yugoslav rock scene, especially in the works by Yugoslav new wave bands, Del Arno Band was the first Yugoslav roots reggae band and the first Yugoslav reggae band to perform their own songs, with all the songs authored by the MatiÃÂ brothers.
After a series of successful club performances, the band participated in the 1988 Festival Omladina, entering the finals, and eventually appearing on the festival's The Best of 237 various artists compilation with the song "Ne radim" ("I'm Not Working"), which was their dicographyc debut. The song was recorded in the lineup which, beside the Matiàbrothers, also featured Aleksandar Radosavljevià(guitar), Miodrag Vidià(bass guitar), Dragan Vidojevià(drums), Vladimir Leà ¡ià(percussion), Bruno Garotià(saxophone), Vladimir Vranià(trumpet) and Slobodan Grozdanovià(trombone).
In early 1990, the band released their debut album, Igraj dok te ne sruà ¡e (Dance Until They Tear You Down), originally released on compact cassette only. Beside their own songs, the album also featured a cover version of the Burning Spear song "Happy Day" with lyrics in Serbian language and entitled "Ljudi dobre volje" ("People of Good Will"). The album was produced by the band themselves with the help of Bajaga i Instruktori bass guitarist Miroslav CvetkoviÃÂ. The following year, the band released a 7-inch single featuring the songs "Bi-Bap" ("Be-Bop") and "Putujem" ("I Am Travelling").
The recording of the band's concert held at Belgrade's Students' Cultural Center on 21 February 1992 was released during the same year on the live album Godina majmuna (The Year of the Monkey). The album also included several previously unreleased songs. Live versions of the band's songs from the album featured numerous musical quotations from reggae songs and a cover version of the popular 1960s Yugoslav schlager "ÃÂamac na Tisi" ("A Boat on the Tisa") composed by Darko KraljiÃÂ. Following the album release, musical differences caused the lineup to split up, but the MatiÃÂ brothers managed to ensure a continuity in the band's work by releasing the 1993 compilation album Geneza (Genesis), featuring two newly-recorded songs, "Iza ugla" ("Behind the Corner") and "DAB in dub", and by performing at the January 1994 unplugged festival held in Belgrade's Sava Centar, the recording of their song "Ima mesta za sve" ("There is a Place for Everyone") appearing on the live various artists album Bez struje (Unplugged).
After longer hiatus, the Matiàbrothers reformed Del Arno Band in a new lineup: Jovan Matià(vocals, percussion), Vladan Matià(vocals, guitar, keyboards), Dejan Utvar (drums), Darko Golià(bass guitar), Milan Petrià"Puroni" (percussion), ÃÂorde ÃÂurÃÂià(guitar), Aleksandar Petkovià(saxophone), Nemanja Kojià(trombone), Dobroslav Predià(trumpet), Zoja BorovÃÂanin (backing vocals, violin) and Jasmina Abu El Rub (backing vocals, flute). The new lineup released the band' comeback album Reggaeneracija (Reggaeneration) in late 1995. As guests on the album appeared Ekatarina Velika keyboardist Margita StefanoviÃÂ, the Andean music band Pachamama, the Paganke trio and Sunshine vocalist Bane BojoviÃÂ. On the album the band introduced diverse musical influences into their material. The album brought radio hits "Dim iz moje lule" ("Smoke from My Pipe"), "DAB je tu da spaja" ("DAB Is Here to Connect") and "Vià ¡e nego à ¾ivot" ("More Than Life"). The album also featured a cover version of Haustor song "TreÃÂi svijet" ("The Third World"), expanded with traditional music influences.
The following year, the band performed at the reprise of the Sunsplash festival in Slovenia, headlined by Misty in Roots. In late 1996, the band appeared on Kornelije KovaÃÂ's solo album Moja generacija (My Generation) with a cover version of the song "Oj, dodole" ("Oy, Dodola"), originally recorded by KovaÃÂ's former band Korni Grupa. They also participated in the recording of a new version of the Serbian rapper Gru's hit song "5ak" (a pun for "Friday"), released in 1997. Two years later, in the spring of 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, the band often held free afternoon concerts at the Belgrade KST club.
In 2001, the band released the double compilation album Retrospective, consisting of a selection of their most popular songs, demo recordings from the early phase and live material. In 2002, the band appeared on Ekatarina Velika frontman Milan MladenoviÃÂ tribute album Kao da je bilo nekad... PosveÃÂeno Milanu MladenoviÃÂu (Like it Happened... Dedicated to Milan MladenoviÃÂ) with a cover of Ekatarina Velika song "Novac u rukama" ("Money in My Hands").
In 2006, after a long work break, the band released their third studio album Vreme vode (Time of the Water). The album featured the material composed by the Matiàbrothers and recorded in a lineup which, beside them, also featured ÃÂorde ÃÂurÃÂià(guitar), Marin Petrià(percussion), Dobroslav Predià(trumpet), Aleksandar Petkovià(saxophone), Veroljub Spasià(a former Petar Pan member, drums), Marko Cvetkovià(bass guitar), Milan Petrovià(keyboards), Mihajlo Bogosavljevià(trombone), Tatjana Popovià(backing vocals) and Tatjana à  uletià(backing vocals). For the 2007 Serbian language translation of Bob Marley biography Catch a Fire, Jovan Matiàtranslated Marley's song "Running Away". In 2008, on the invitation by Laza Ristovski, Del Arno Band recorded a cover of his song "Marija" for his album Drvo à ¾ivota (Three of Life). In August of the same year, Jovan MatiÃÂ, together with musicians Dado TopiÃÂ, Nenad Milosavljeviàand Zoran Kostià"Cane", unveiled the monument to Bob Marley in Banatski Sokolac, Serbia. During the same year, Matiàpublished a book of poems entitled à  to pre to kasnije (The Sooner the Later), including his lyrics written for Del Arno Band songs.
In 2011, on Human Rights Day, the band was awarded with the New Optimism Award by the New Optimism Movement from Zrenjanin, holding an unplugged performance on the award ceremony. On 29 September 2012, the group performed in Belgrade Youth Center, on a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's independence. In 2015, the band recorded the song "Misli" ("Thoughts") for the various artists album HroniÃÂno neumroni (Chronically Restless), on which various artists recorded songs on lyrics by poet Milan B. PopoviÃÂ.
The band celebrated 30 years of activity with the release of the box set Igraj dok te ne sruà ¡e â 30 godina (Dance Until They Tear You Down â 30 Years). The five-piece box set, released in December 2016, features the band's three studio albums and one live album, as well as a disc with covers and duets originally appearing on various releases and previously unreleased material, including their cover of Riblja ÃÂorba song "Pravila, pravila" ("Rules, Rules").
In 2019, the band released their fourth studio album, Ako ne znaà ¡ à ¡ta da radià ¡ (If You Don't Know What to Do), the band's first release recorded without Vladan MatiÃÂ. The album was previously announced by two singles, "Stari lek" ("Old Medicine") and "Joà ¡ uvek ima nade" ("There Is Still Hope"), the latter recorded with their former member Nemanja "Hornsman Coyote" Kojià(who, after leaving Del Arno Band, fronted successful band Eyesburn). The album was released with a package of rolling paper.
On 14 February 2025, the band held a concert in Belgrade's DorÃÂol Platz in honor of Bob Marley's 80th birthday, dedicating the concert to the students leading the Serbian anti-corruption protests.
In 2021, the album Reggaeneracija was polled No.33 on the list of 100 Best Serbian Albums Since the Breakup of SFR Yugoslavia. The list was published in the book Kako (ni)je propao rokenrol u Srbiji (How Rock 'n' Roll in Serbia (Didn't) Came to an End).