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Written in fRoots issue 238, 2003

VARIOUS ARTISTS
Srbija: Sounds Global 2
B92 B92CD 202 (2002)

Like its predecessor, and even more so, this is a great example of the value of the best sampler albums in opening up a genuinely little-known territory and giving its music and musicians a wider audience (rather than me-too picking over of oft-compiled morsels).
      If the phrase 'Serbian music' evokes any images for you, it’s perhaps of exuberant and brilliant brass bands, and yes, there are some here: Brotherhood of Brass (a joint project of the Boban Marković Orchestra and New Yorkers the Frank London Klezmer Brass All Stars), and the resurgence of Marković’s greatest competition in the 1990s, Orkestar Slobodana Salijević. But more, so much more. The eight-voice female Balkan harmony of Moba, and a solo from member Zvezdana Ostojić, the almost balalaika-like sound of tamburitza orchestra Ansambl Zorule, the cow’s horn of Žorž Grujić double-tracked, or his bagpipe with tupan drum and double bass in the group Marsya, the husky kaval interweaving with two hard-edged Balkan female voices in Belo Platno, and the passionate voice of Gypsy star Šaban Bajramović accompanied by sultry clarinet with violin and guitar.
There’s Beogradska Čalgija with oud, violin, darabukka and vocal reviving the Arabic sound of the city bands, čalgijas, that probably came to Serbia with the Turks but disappeared in the early twentieth century. Svetlana Spajić-Latinović and Darko Macura duet on jew’s-harp and jangling tambura, ace fiddler Aca Šišić returns to deserved prominence, and one man band Zar hums down a tenor recorder while playing an air pump and bowl of water.
      The word is already spreading about reeds and kaval player Ognjen Popović’s band Ognjen i Prijatelji and their new music using ethnic roots with a line-up including clarinets, violin, accordion, guitar, bass prim and rippling darabukka. Here they deliver the snappy Balkan-skipping Kadenca. The album ends with one of Serbia’s most celebrated and creative musicians, violinist Lajko Felix, skittering and surging in company with cimbalom, violas, double bass and percussion.
      As with all sensible compilations, booking contacts, and record information where there is any, are given for all the artists. B92 itself is at www.b92.net.


© 2003 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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