Search - Mustafovredzepova :: Legends Of Gypsy Music

Extremely Beautiful Music

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 08/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"ARC Music Productions turns out some of the finest CDs from around the world. This CD is fantastic. It has some of the greatest examples of Macedonian gypsy music sung by the most astonishing living legends of this genre. The music by Ferus Mustafov is exciting, exotic and firey. The voice of Esma is pure, passionate, and free.



Track #1 "Wait Oh My Life' sung by Esma is filled with heart-felt emotion. Her special intonations and pure voice is to be savored. Track # 2 is the classic "Makedonsko Devojce" ("Macedonian Girl") which is an instrumental. The clarinet replaces the human voice in a very creative and effective manner. I wish I knew the lyrics, I want to sing along.



Track # 5 "Hey My Destiny" is filled with exotic rhythms and has outstanding lyrics:



"On my window a black bird landed

And told me of a destiny damned.

That my star follows me

Will shine strongly for me no more

That whatever as a youth I had

As old I will have no more"



"Hey, oh destiny, why have you punished me,

For some the houses are full, and mine is empty.

Their houses full, houses full

And mine, mine is empty ..."



Track # 6 "Far East" is quintessential Ferus with an amazing melody and alluring rhythm. It is music which evokes the not too distant past with a Turkish influence.



Esma provides a smooth rendition of "My Golden 50" track # 7. It is a song filled with memories evoked by reaching this milestone age in life.



Track # 9 "Welcome My Dearest" is sung by Esma in a very sultry voice. It is like a torch song in a nightclub.



Track # 10 "Wedding Dance" played by Ferus and Band has a lively, cheerful rhythm with great clarinet improvisations and interpretive solos. It makes me jump up and dance everytime I hear it. I can not keep still when listening to this one, my upper body is swaying, my fingers snap along with the rhythm. I am totally entranced ...



Track # 11 "A Falcon Satisfies Thirst" is a traditional melody I have heard before. The music is mesmerizing. This one will keep a group dancing well into the night and wee hours of the morning, ina snake-like fashion, meandering into a cocoon and then one couple will create a bridge under which the dancers in the line pass. It is *that* good!



Track # 13 "Forgive Me" is a beautiful song filled with pain, sadness, sorrow and eventually reconciliaton with a lover or husband. It is an out pouring of love by Esma ...



Track # 15 "Gajde Igra" ("Bagpipe Dance") is a hypnotizing piece which amazes me. There is a distinctive tsiftetelli (belly dance) rhythm which allows for free style improvised steps and movements. It imparts an exotic, exhilarating feeling within the listener. It infuses the dancer with hightened sensuous feelings of pleasure ...



This CD is a wonderful edition to any Balkan music lover's collection. Anyone new to this music style will become addicted. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

"