Balkan Brass Band

Infobox Music genre
bgcolor=deepskyblue
color=white
name=Balkan Brass Band
stylistic_origins=A variety of influences
cultural_origins=19th century Balkan
instruments=Brass instruments
popularity=Continuous worldwide from 1990s
derivatives=
subgenrelist=Booty Balkan; Gypsytech
subgenres=Booty Balkan; Gypsytech
fusiongenres=
regional_scenes=
other_topics=

Balkan Brass Band is a distinctive style of music [nationalgeographic.com] popular throughout the Balkans, especially Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria. The beats are usually fast, and the performers are usually Romani.

History

In the 19th century in imitation of the Turkish military bands which replaced the Mehterhane (Mehter) formations of Janissary Turks beginning in 1828. Apparently, as in Turkey, they dethroned the ancient traditional oboe (zurna, zurla, or mizmar) and double-membraned drum ensembles. Today these ensembles that had formerly been imported from Turkey and played by the Roms, are dying out.

Though it was a military instrument to wake and gather soldiers and announce battles, the trumpet took on the role of entertainment during downtime, as soldiers used it to transpose popular folk songs. When war ended and they returned to their hometowns, the music entered civilian life. Eventually, Gypsies mastered and adopted the tradition, adding more complicated rhythms and melodies and soon the music could be heard all over the Balkans.

Sub Genres:
In 2008 there was a new sub genre created called Booty Balkan / Gypsytech. Dj's like Schobbejak! play balkan brass music on a faster speed. Balkan at 160/170 bpm's sounds like balkan mixed with Booty Bass.

Festival's

Every year in Guca, Serbia [ [http://www.guca.co.yu Guca 06.08 - 10.08.2008 Balkan Brass Bands Music Festival Das größte Fest der Trompeter auf dem Boban Markovic Dragacevski Sabor Trubaca ] ] , there is a five day festival of Balkan Brass Band music.

Balkan Brass Bands music in the movies

* "Time of the Gypsies" (Dom za vešanje), 1988, Emir Kusturica
* "Underground", 1995, Emir Kusturica
* "Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan", 2006

Notable Balkan Brass Bands

*Boban Marković
*Goran Bregović
*Orkestar Zirkonium
*Kocani Orkestar
*Fanfare Ciocărlia
*Zlatne Uste
*Slavic Soul Party!
*Fejat Sejdić

References

ee also

*Mehter
*Balkan

Balkan Depot, London based purveyor of Balkana