Nesanica
The title of this song of lost love means “Insomnia.” Written by Dejan Ivanovic, it was featured in the 2005 Serbian film Ivkova Slava (Ivko’s Feast), and was a hit for the Macedonian singer Tose Proeski. After a rubato verse, we play it in jeni jol rhythm. The melody shown for the rubato intro is approximate at best; listen to the original instead.
Nesanica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTYwhD09IU4
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I bavlal purdela
This song by the late legendary Serbian Rom singer Saban Bajramovic asks, “I waited for you to come to me, girl, why didn’t you?” We’ve seen many versions of the Romani lyrics and trust these. We play the song in maqsum rhythm for the dance jeni jol.
Read MoreHanuma
A Bosnian sevdalinka song about marrying a girl on her 16th birthday. We’ve played this as a tango and, with a maqsum beat, as a jeni jol.
Read MoreMoj dilbere
A Bosnian song from the sevdah tradition, in what I hope is a sardonic female voice. It can accompany the women’s dance, danced by both sexes in the U.S., called jeni jol. Some recordings include an additional vocal phrase now omitted by some performers, including us.
Read MoreCorroro (Phirav mange korkoro)
Accordionist Dusko Petrovic wrote this song in the late 1960s, recorded it in one take and had an instant hit. We play two versions: a slow version with a maqsum beat, to accompany the dance called jeni jol, and a fast version as a cocek.
Read MoreNe klepeci nanulama
A sad but lovely Bosnian song written by Husain Kurtagic. Nedzad Salkovic’s recording made it a hit in the early 1980s. The singer asks his wife not to come down the steps to the balcony in her wooden clogs, because the sound reminds him of the way his dead mother used to come down the steps. This is for listening, not dancing.
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