Alo Mange Liloro - Ederlezi Avela | Time of the Gypsies

I received an email a couple of days ago about a Serbian film, The Time of the Gypsies, asking about the song Ederlezi Avela. I thought I would just post our conversation to help out other people interested on the topic:

Here is the video clip that the reader sent me to find out more about the song and were to find it online:

Okay, so I talked to my Roma friends from Bulgaria and I think I know this song. My friend told me that it became famous from the movie, but i'm not really sure. As a United States Peace Corps volunteer, I definitely listened to this song at parties and gatherings. From all my music I have, I wasn't able to find an MP3 to share (but most of the music I have is poorly labeled from my Bulgarian friends) so sorry about that. Someone called Nela Trifkovic from Australia has written extensively about this topic and I encourage you to read it:

http://bradmilo.tripod.com/research/Articles/balkan_as_a_metaphore_chapter3.htm

There are at least two variations of the song, one that is a roma folk song for Ederlezi (St. George's Day, which I can say from personal experience, that the celebration is amazing). The other is based off of goran bregovic. The lyrics are different, as is the sound. Don't confuse this with the more traditional style. So the traditional name of this song is

ALO MANGE LILORO or Ederlezi Avela (spellings will be different)

Goran Bregovic(traditional version): http://www.youtube.com/watchv=Cy0wo4NZ_go&feature=related

From the movie "Time of the Gypsies": http://www.youtube.com/watchv=FPNrmXRarIw&feature=related

An update "Rock" Version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPNrmXRarIw&feature=related

More traditional renditions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEXrtUJhde0 This clip has the lyrics on the side

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRxaWi9iT3s Erdjan is from Bulgaria and a great Roma musician (but definitely with more of a Bulgarian/Turkish style of roma music)

___________________

Goran Bregovic also has a song that is similar:

Erdelezi (By far the most famous, +2 million views): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwA_Zg_zFI&feature=related

Beriut (US indie band): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cCnazx1bdM&feature=fvw

________________

I hope that answered some questions about the Time of the Gypsies and the song Alo

I have stopped blogging because I've started working full time and I've had to focus on other commitments. I also am not living in Bulgaria anymore, so it is more difficult to be in touch with my friends in Bulgaria and know the music that's popular these days. As you can tell, I'm still pretty interested in the music and culture so maybe some day i'll get around to writing some more.

Amza & Dejo | Track Download

Good Example of Up Tempo Roma Music (Macedonian/Bulgarian Wedding Music)


More Commercialized (General Appeal) Style:



Amza Tairov is one of the most famous Tallava / Roma Music Musicians. Popular throughout most of the Balkan Roma Communities, Amza is known for revitalizing the synthesizer from a cheaper substitute for a original instrument into something regarded with respect in its own right in the Roma Community. With lightning fast finger work combined with lavish embellishments, the music has a ranges from fast paced dancing music to sorrowful notes lingering in the night.

In this particular collection, Amza is paired with a child singer (Dejo). The music is slower and the vocals seem to dominate unlike the Roma Music (Macedonian/Bulgarian Wedding music) that Amza has done as well.

Track List:

7 tracks, unlabeled.



Download Link:
Amza___Dejo__7_tracks_.rar



Disclaimer:

If you know the owners of this content, please contact The Balkan Hour. We are more than happy to remove links upon request. We also would happily post links for CD sales, future concerts or general information. The music here is meant to inform and to altruistically create a larger market for the music. Anyone can stop this link from Rapidshare by clicking this link:

KILL CODE FROM RAPIDSHARE (Removes Music, Don't Click Unless You Want to Remove the Link!!!!)

Внимание:

Ако знаете, собствениците на тази музика, моля свържете се с Балкан час. Ние също така ще бъде щастливо да публикувате връзки за CD продажби, бъдещи концерти или обща информация. Музиката тук има цел да информира и да създаде по-голям пазар за музика.

Sechcet (Sevched) + Cita | 2007 CD | DJ Pesho Studio

Sevchet: Pare Pare (Track 2)



Sevchet: Chokolada (Chocolate, Track 3)


Cita: Live Recording


This is a more well known CD by Sevchet with many Chalga hits on it such as Chokolada, Pare Pare and others. Cita is also featured on this CD but I can't identify the tracks on youtube for preview. I've attached a live recording of Cita instead. Definitely Check out this CD

Track Listing:

1. Gio Show
2. Pare Pare (Money, Money)
3. Chokolada (Chocolate)
4. Baro Biav
5. Track 5 (Cita 2007)
6. Bajarjum tut michai (Cita 2007)
   
7. Vodka Red Bull
8. Magiq (Magic)
9. track 9 (Cita 2007)
10. moda fantaziq

Download Link:
Sevchet___Cita_-_DJ_Pesho_Studio_-_CD.rar




Disclaimer:

If you know the owners of this content, please contact The Balkan Hour. We are more than happy to remove links upon request. We also would happily post links for CD sales, future concerts or general information. The music here is meant to inform and to altruistically create a larger market for the music.


Внимание:

Ако знаете, собствениците на тази музика, моля свържете се с Балкан час. Ние също така ще бъде щастливо да публикувате връзки за CD продажби, бъдещи концерти или обща информация. Музиката тук има цел да информира и да създаде по-голям пазар за музика.

Sevchet (Sevched) 2007 CD

Sevchet Dade Dade (Track 2)


Sevchet is one of more popular figures of Macedonian Tallava. He straddles many different styles of music ranging from Chalga/Pop-Folk to Rap to Wedding Music. He's definitely a figure to watch. I'll be posting one of his more famous CDs a littler later so be sure to check in again for more Sevchet

Track Listing:

1. Crazy
2. Dade Dade
3. Losno Jak Te Na Dikeltu (.wma file, SORRY!)
4. Adela
5. Evropa (Europe)
6. [title deleted, unknown]
7. Holla Holla
8. You Are Me Sexy Lover
9. Feat. HAJGARA BEND 2007 - HEJT KOLJO AMALA 2007
   

Download Link:

Sevchet - 2007 CD

Disclaimer:

If you know the owners of this content, please contact The Balkan Hour. We are more than happy to remove links upon request. We also would happily post links for CD sales, future concerts or general information. The music here is meant to inform and to altruistically create a larger market for the music. 

Внимание:

Ако знаете, собствениците на тази музика, моля свържете се с Балкан час. Ние също така ще бъде щастливо да публикувате връзки за CD продажби, бъдещи концерти или обща информация. Музиката тук има цел да информира и да създаде по-голям пазар за музика.

Albanian, Macedonian & Bulgarian Tallava / Roma Music - WRFL 88.1 - 03/02/2009

Listen to the Latest Show of The Balkan Hour:

Download Link Here

More Shows Here

Oka & aliosha | CD Download

Aliosha Video Clip:




Video of Okka (oka) with Ivo Papasov






Here is a CD of music Aliosha and Oka. Aliosha is (I believe) from Montana, Bulgaria and plays the clarinet. He also sings as well. Oka, or sometimes written Okka, is also from Bulgaria and plays the clarinet but I do not know his origins. Both are Roma and are well known throughout Roma Communities in Bulgaria and Macedonia.

Anyone can find more information about either of these artists by searching: Okka, Oka, aliosha, alioshka

Most of these recordings are live from weddings, graduations or other Roma holidays so the recording quality is sub-par. The spirit and sound is indescribable; it's 5-6 hours of ear splitting music with dancing and celebration.


Download Link:
Tallava__Roma_Music_-_OKA___ALIOSHKATA.zip


Disclaimer:

If you know the owners of this content, please contact The Balkan Hour. We are more than happy to remove links upon request. We also would happily post links for CD sales, future concerts or general information. The music here is meant to inform and to altruistically create a larger market for the music. Anyone can stop this link from Rapidshare by clicking this link:

KILL CODE FROM RAPIDSHARE (Removes Music, Don't Click Unless You Want to Remove the Link!!!!)

Внимание:

Ако знаете, собствениците на тази музика, моля свържете се с Балкан час. Ние също така ще бъде щастливо да публикувате връзки за CD продажби, бъдещи концерти или обща информация. Музиката тук има цел да информира и да създаде по-голям пазар за музика.

Great World Music Website: NoNaMe from Russia

NoNaMe - World Music

The name may not be the clearest and the Russian may be a little daunting to non-cyrillic speakers, but NoNaMe and its world music website has some of the most eclectic world music I've seen on the Internet. The site seems to have a special love for Balkan music while still having selections from around the world.

You have to register which is just a simple login, email, password and password confirmation. To non-cyrillic speakers, you have to click the " регистрация" in order to get the registration page. Or you can just click here to register.  I know, its daunting at first but all the posts are in english and its pretty easy to navigate

Here is just a quick list of the quality Balkan Music I've found on the website:

• Ferus is Cooking - Macedonian Wedding Music
• Rembetiko - Greek Folk Music
• Guca Festival - Live recordings from the Guca Festival in Serbia
• Sevdah Selection - Bosnian folk music (with Roma influences)
• !DelapDap - Fusion Roma Music (Featured on Balkan Beats)
• Gogol Bordello - Live Bootleg at Bonnaroo
• And many more!

There are 92 pages of music, at roughly 15 posts each. . . makes almost 1400 entries of fully downloadable music with reviews, commentary and history of each artist. This is definitely a great resource for those wanting to learn more about Balkan Music and World Music in general.

Enjoy!

Hüsnü Şenlendirici | Daily Dose | Roma Turkish Music!

Husnu Senlendirici | Kumsalda

Special Thanks to Ido Atlasian from Istanbul for the recommendations. Even though the Balkans have many similar cultural influences (usually in the form of Ottoman cultural legacies) its often hard to know about every artist from every country. So, I'm learning and I would love your recommendations. Send them here and I'll post them.

Hüsnü Şenlendirici or Husnu Senlendirici (latinized) is a famous Roma musician from Turkey who plays traditional Turkish folk music. Trained at the Turkish State Music Conservatory for four years, Husnu then continued to play professionally with multiple bands such as Magnetic Band. He currently plays with a quintet Hüsnü Şenlendiri and Laço Tayfa.

He is reknowned for is ability to play the clarinet and has toured internationally at jazz festivals displaying his talent. Note the similarities between his "jazz/westernized" (at least for this video) style of music and Bulgarian Roma music. Obviously, the clarinent is a shared instrument and music is very similar. Anyway, wonderful music. Enjoy!


Wikipedia Entry for Hüsnü Şenlendirici (Descriptive and Recommended)

Calabash Music Entry for Hüsnü Şenlendirici (More Descriptive)

The Balkan Hour | Radio Show Trial Run | 88.1 WRFL Lexington

Last Monday, I finished my training with WRFL 88.1 Lexington to be a Radio DJ. WRFL is the local student radio of University of Kentucky and has a strong history of supporting alternative programming for central Kentucky. Hopefully, I'll be able to play music from the Balkans with WRFL to create a better awareness for the region and to promote artists from the Balkans. This is me on the WRFL website: The Balkan Hour DJ

Anyway, the trial run was great fun and full of freshman mistakes. I'll get the hang of the sound board and other techical details as I practice. Generally, I'm content with the trial run. I would like to have more historical context with better descriptions of each artist or style, some that the Oberlin podcast/radio show is a great example. But I suppose that will come with time.

Please be aware that the beginning and end of the audio are of other radio shows because the .mp3 is archived per hour and not by user. I'll look into sound editing to clean it up. So, keep listening past the first couple of seconds!

Enjoy!




.mp3 Download of the Balkan Hour - Trial Run from WRFL 88.1 Great For Ipods!

Azis | Daily Dose | New Chalga!

Azis | Teb Obicham - You, I love

Another song from Azis. My friends in Bulgaria are telling me its getting a lot of radio play and disco club play. My Bulgarian friend, Damian Kachulski and I both swear we have heard this from somewhere before but can't place. Azis has a horrible track record of "borrowing" songs and claiming them as his own. Let me know if this is the case for this one. Enjoy the Chalga / Pop-Folk!

Mehanata: New York's Bulgarian Bar + Dance Club

I returned to America after two years in a small village in Bulgaria last month and my first stop was New York City. I tried to make it the famous Mehanata (roughly translated; A place with live music that you go for 6 hours and sit around a table with great food and drinks. When you get drunk, you usually start dancing into the night. Kind of a cross between a bar/club and a restaurant). Anyway, Mehanata is pretty much ground zero in New York for Balkan music and live bands. Its a mixture of expats with indie kids that are into Balkan Beats. Eugene Hutz has popularized over the years and its started getting a pretty serious following: Read BalkanBeatit and their write up about Eugene Hutz .

Unfortunately, its only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So, make a note of that for those of you in the NYC or a thinking about making a trip. I visited, unfortunately, on a Wednesday so my opinions have to be formed from YouTube clips and a padlocked door. As looked in on, saddened by my poor mistiming, a fellow inside came to the front and opened the door slightly. Embarrassed, I responded in Bulgarian that I was just looking. The Bulgarian, with fresh cut on his forehead (for unknown reasons) looked at me dumbfounded and asked me again what I said in Bulgarian, shocked that I spoke the language (with a strong American accent). I found out that he was just a construction worker who was from Sofia who was just working. We talked for bit but since he was new to Mehanata he wasn't able to be too helpful. Mehanata has a cool vibe about it and is small enough to get lost on a NYC street. I mention it mostly because its significance in the American movement with Gypsy Punk or Balkan Beats. They've been an epicenter of sorts in NYC, sustaining a culture with the help of Gogol Bordello and Eugene Hutz.

I've had some Bulgarian friends go there during a weekend but they reviews are somewhat mixed. A lot of the music played there is more "Balkan" than "Bulgarian" and the Mehanata has no problem associating itself with Gypsy or Roma culture (something most Bulgarian bars would avoid at all costs because of the ethnic tensions/issues still prevalent in Bulgaria, plus Roma people tend to spend less at high class bars than Bulgarians). So, some of the Bulgarians aren't necessarily familiar with Balkan Beat and Gypsy Punk scene, so it becomes a little different than expected. I'd wager a guess that Chalga probably doesn't get a lot of play time as well.
And finally, I really love the Mehanata concept and think that its doing a lot of things right (especially viral marketing through the internet) but, honestly, Astika? What's up? It's like the subpar beers of Bulgaria. Why not Zagorka (not my favorite, but good), Shumensko (excellent) or Pirinsko (my favorite). Bulgaria has great beer but Astika doesn't represent like the others. So, when you go, you are better off just ordering a Rakia.

My Favorite Beer: Pirinsko Beer or Пиринско Пиво

MEHANATA:

Mehanata Bulgarian Bar‎ - more info »

113 Ludlow St, New York, NY‎ - (212) 625-0981‎


Gogol Bordello - Start Wearing Purple

With over 2 million views, this put Mehanata on the map for coolness in the YouTube world.


Yuri Yunakov At Mehanata Bar - NYC

While Mehanata has a lot Balkan Fusion music they also have more "traditional" acts like Yuri Yunakov with Roma/Bulgarian Wedding Music

Alec Kopyt sings Zakritii Grazhdanin (Закрытый Гражданин)

Another live set from Mehanata

Balkan Music Goes Academic | Oberlin Music Blogs!

I just happened upon a gold mine of information about Balkan Music online in the form of series of blogs required by an Oberlin College music class. The class is being taught by Jennifer Fraser, an Assistant Professor of Ethnomusicology at the Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College. The course covers a broad array of musical styles and regional genres ranging from Turkish Folk to Roma Music to Bulgarian Folk music (among others).

Here is what Jennifer Fraser has to say about the course and its blog initiative in her first blog post:

This site is dedicated to writing about and sharing our experiences interacting with these musics, along with articulating the connections between musical style and socio-cultural meanings; for example, how was music used to express sides during various Balkan wars in the 90s? How can you trace the history of socialism and roads to democratization and economic independence through musical practices in the Balkans? How do the cultural legacies of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires play out in the musical practices of today?

From my cursory browsing through the subject matter, it looks like a fascinating course that approaches Balkan music the way it should (in my opinion) be approached; through a historical, socio-cultural lens. Apparently, it just isn't me that is fascinated by the symbolic nature of Balkan music and its mixing of cultures. Regardless, I encourage those interested in Balkan music to browse through ETHN 209 and its blog posts. They the blogs are written by university students so the quality ranges between insightful to bland but it continues the conversation. These students study at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music so they are often have a much different approach to music compared to myself because they have a better understanding of the musical structure and also the historical background from other genres and styles. So, without further ado, here is the Ethnomusicology 209 course for Oberlin College:

ETHN 209 | Oberlin College | Professor Jennifer Fraser

While the entries are great, I and many other international readers probably won't want to wade through all of the individual websites to browse the collection of opinions about Balkan Music. To counter that, I have created a Google Reader of the entire class which compiles all the submissions of every student in a central place. It should update automatically whenever a student has a new post. But readers can also click the title of the post to go to the individual blog as well. Here is a public RSS Feed page that you can click to view all of the post in a centralized blog format:

http://tinyurl.com/oberlin-ethn-209

To subscribe to the RSS feed, you can just simply click the link here

Subscribe to Oberlin ETHN 209 RSS Feed (all blogs)

Zlatina Metodieva | Daily Dose | Bulgarian Folk Music

Zlatina Metodieva | First Solo Album

This particular post is about an actual Bulgarian friend of mine that I worked with as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Simitli, Bulgaria. The YouTube video is a track from Zlatina's first solo album. She is a young Roma woman still in high school that has studied Bulgarian Folk Music at a school in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. The photos are from her marketing promotion in town to raise funds for printing and making copies of the Album. I took all of the photos and they are from Simitli.

The music is good example of current Bulgarian Folk Music, which is slightly different than the style of The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices and Philip Kolev. It (conceptually) is more like country music in America.

Anyway, I have the whole CD so if anyone is interested in listening to it. Just email me robert . proudfoot at geemail . com (its on my profile too). Anyway, congratulations to Zlatina for a successful recording of a first solo album.

Boban Markovich | Daily Dose | In Your Stores Now

Boban Markovich is one of the founders of the Balkan Brass movement, more so in the sense that he and other great Romani musicians served as the musical base for western artists. His Serbian Brass music, similar to Hungarian Brass music, has gained popularity within western countries as of late, especially in Europe.

Quick Serbian Language lesson:

Boban Markovic is pronounced Boban Markovich. The "Ć" is actually a "Ch". This usage of "C" holds true for most Slavic languages.

His music is more traditional than the more modern "crossover" artists using Balkan Brass such as Beirut, Shantel and Balkan Beat Box. The music is Serbian / Former Yugoslavian (read: Macedonian, Montenegro, Albanian, Croatian and Bosnian influences). In some circles, he is considered the "King of Gypsy brass bands"and definitely is a great introduction to Balkan Music. He made a name for himself at the Guca (Gucha, remember the "C" is "ch") Golden Trumpet Music Festival by winning the Golden Trumpet in 2001.

While Boban Markovich is Roma and plays Balkan Brass music, its difficult to classify what is "Roma" music and what is a national music (Serbian). So just keep in mind that Boban is from Serbia and draws a lot of influences from Serbian culture while also injected Roma style and culture as well.

I just recently saw this album in the Virgin Megastore in Times Square NYC last week:

Here are some samples from this Boban Markovich Orkestar Album:

TRACK #3: SAT


TRACK #4: MUNDO COCEK (excellent, please play)




Also, there is a live recording floating around of Boban Markovich that I've seen recently in record stores:

Muharrem Ahmeti | Albanian + Roma | Daily Dose

Muharrem Ahmeti | Albania 2007


This is an Albanian private party with Live music from Muharren Ahmeti.Its hard to tell if its a wedding or not, but this definitely would be played at a wedding. He and the band are switching styles of music throughout the night from Turkish, Roma and traditional. Amza Tairof, from Macedonia, is also there playing on the the KORG. Notice how the money given to the musicians and skilled dancers (usually women), something not quite as normal in America.

Orkestar Kristali | Wedding Music, Romani Style | Daily Dose

Orkestar Kristali - Instrumental


Orkestar Kristali is one of the most popular and reknowned Roma bands in Bulgaria. They play mostly Roma weddings and festivals. It would be considered Roma Music in Bulgara, a big departure from Romanian and Serbian Roma music

Notice the KORG is still there.

Sevchet | Tallava | Daily Dose

Sevchet - Rap/hip-hop/Romani



Sevchet is a Romani musician from Macedonian who straddles Tallava / Traditional Romani music and hip-hop / Rap. Here is a live recording of Sevchet (sometimes written Sevcet or Sev4et; 4=c=ch in Slavic languages sometimes online). This would probably be classified as Tallava but it would be also called just Roma music in Bulgaria.

Amza | Tallava / Roma Music | Daily Dose

Synthesizer King: Amza Tairof


Here is a solo performance of Amza Tiroif. Some things of note about Amza:

1. He's a one man band that compliments other musicians or can go alone
2. He plays a variety of music and there is a influence of Balkan Folk music (at least Bulgarian) but he improvises live and embellishes heavily.
   
3. He's from Macedonia, but plays all over the Balkans for Roma concerts/parties.

It also says something of the staying power of the Synthesizer in Roma Music (Mentioned Previously). Obviously, the instrument has been legitimized within the region just by virtue of the demand of musicians that play it.

Cita + Amza | Tallava | Daily Dose

Cita Live


Okay, I know, it looks pretty cheesily filmed and Cita has an amazing mullet. But he CAN sing and that's what really matters, right? Cita is the Roma singer with the shorter hair. He had a TV special with Amza (with the long hair, more in the next Daily Dose) in Macedonia; the beer advertisement is for a the Skopje / Skopie beer company.

I want you to notice a pattern, of sorts, with tallava: Its usually solitary or with minimal accompaniment; its heavy on synthesizers; crisp "barabani" drums lead the beat.

Enjoy!

In Search of Tallava . . . UPDATE

My continued search for Tallava has led me into some interesting conversations in my Mahala (Neighborhood in Bulgarian but also commonly the term for the Roma Neighborhood). I've had some great conversations about the music and generally no one recognizes the music by that name. In defense, I probably really mispronounce it (Tal - la - va).

Seeing how most of the Bulgarians and Roma in my limited sample pool of five people from my town have never heard of the name Tallava, I decided to seek out opinions of people online. After searching a little, I asked some YouTube members what they think Tallava is. Romeo was kind enough to respond and add his perspective on Tallava. He is a musician in America and his YouTube page is ROMEOKLARINET. Here is what he had to say about the Tallava genre:

Tallava is not kuchek, cocek or oro (horo in Bulgaria *Editor's Note*) and it is not Albanian Roma style. This style that was ORIGINATED in Kosovo. The Roma people in Kosovo invented this style. One of the people to start this awesome style was a guy by the name of TAFA. Tafa was a roma singer in kosovo that sang in Albanian. Others musicians caught on such as LUMI, CITA, and so forth. Now most of Balkans imitate this style called TALLAVA.

I would recommend browsing through Romeo's Favorites on YouTube. He has selected a lot of Romani artists that I plan to highlight on this blog, plus it allows you to see the somewhat fluid nature of Roma music throughout the Balkans. Influences from Bulgaria are liked in Serbia / Albanian; and vice-versa. Its common for Roma in the town I live in to have Roma music from Serbia, Albanian and Macedonia (not mention Chalga/Pop Folk from all over the Balkans)

TAFA from Kosovo


I believe this is TAFA but honestly is really difficult to find anything by his name TAFA. I mean, I'm using AOL video for crying out loud . . .

Tafa, most popular singer of the "Talava"genre, with bank notes given to him by his enthusiastic audience. Photo: Svanibor Pettan
___________

I'm going to post so more examples of Tallava this upcoming week, one per day, some come back often for your daily dose of Tallava