Balkan party music in Seattle

9/8

Vranjanski cocek

Posted by on Sep 14, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

An instrumental cocek dance melody in 9/8 meter from southern Serbia, played by an orchestra led by folk music composer and arranger Zarko Milanovic. The tempo slowly accelerates throughout.

 

Vranjanski cocek

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The original recording isn’t available on YouTube, but here’s a nice version of the same melody by Duo Moderato from Beograd.

 

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Danubian dajcovo horo

Posted by on Aug 10, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

A lively instrumental in 9/8 by the Horo Orchestra from Ruse on the Danube River in northern Bulgaria. Original recording arranged and conducted by Vasil Purvanov. Played in Seattle for the Bulgarian line dance dajcovo horo by our band and Orkestar RTW (Radio-Televizija Woodinville). This 2-page chart is slightly improved from an older transcription.

 

Danubian dajcovo horo

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Kazuj krcmo dzerimo

Posted by on Aug 7, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

 

“Where did my love disappear? Why did he take my heart away?” A traditional melody in 9/8 recorded in 1982 by Usnija Redzepova with lyrics by R. Todorovic and music arranged by Bakija Bakic. We learned it from Carol Silverman.

 

Kazuj krcmo

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With a different instrumental break:

 

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Aj mene majka jednu ima

Posted by on Jul 31, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

A song in 9/8 from southern Serbia recorded by singer/songwriter Zorica Brunclik in 1977, one of many songs in which the girl wants the bad boy (bekrija), not the safe one favored by her parents.

 

Aj mene majka jednu ima

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Jasmina

Posted by on Jul 20, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

Written by the Rom singer Saban Bajramovic in the late ’70s or early ’80s, this song is about a bridegroom who can’t sleep on the last night before his wedding and is looking forward to dancing the cocek with his beautiful bride, Jasmina.

 

Jasmina

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Jasmina lyrics

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Pena

Posted by on Jul 6, 2018 in 9/8, Balkan Sheet Music | 0 comments

This song by the great Rom singer Saban Bajramovic is sometimes called Duj Duj. We play it as a 9/8 cocek.

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