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Balkan Brass Band
Stylistic origins	A variety of influences
Cultural origins	19th century Balkan
Typical instruments	Brass instruments
Mainstream popularity	Continuous worldwide from 1990s
Subgenres
	Booty Balkan; Gypsytech

Balkan Brass Band is a distinctive style of music ^[1] popular throughout the Balkans, especially Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria. The beats are usually fast, and the performers are usually Romani.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Festivals

Every year in Guca, Serbia ^[2], there is a five day festival of Balkan Brass Band music.

[edit] 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
Guca!, 2006, Dusan Milic

[edit] Notable Balkan Brass Bands

[edit] Balkan Brass websites

Balkan Brass World

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ nationalgeographic.com
^ Guca 06.08 - 10.08.2008 Balkan Brass Bands Music Festival Das größte Fest der Trompeter auf dem Boban Markovic Dragacevski Sabor Trubaca

Balkan Depot, London based purveyor of Balkana

[0] tionalgeographic.com

[1] Guca 06.08 - 10.08.2008 Balkan Brass Bands Music Festival Das größte Fest der Trompeter auf dem Boban Markovic Dragacevski Sabor Trubaca

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