Macedonian and Balkan Folk Music

Macedonian Postcards

berovo-market-w400

Market Day, Berovo

David Bilides and Dragi Spasovski are your hosts for discussions and samples of all 54 Macedonian folk songs in Dragi's 3-CD project, as well as stories about the recordings, musicians, Dragi's life, and Macedonian culture in general. You can download each episode individually under the links section for that episode, listen to an audio stream of each episode, or you can subscribe to the entire series through one of the links on the right sidebar.

Episode 20: Brale, brale, se nabrale

For this first song of the Echo CD, Dragi talks about the differences between urban, čalgija, and traditional singing. He describes how he recorded two different versions of a song in two singing styles. And there's more about Kiril Mančevski.

Audio and Links for Episode 20

Episode 20: Brale, brale, se nabrale (25:54)

Brale, brale, se nabrale (Dragi Spasovski, Track 1)

Brale, brale (Kiril Mančevski, 2:38)

Ajde, vino pijam (čalgija) (Dragi Spasovski, 3:30)

Ajde, vino pijam (izvorno) (Dragi Spasovski, 3:11)

8 August 2010

Episode 19: Interview with Stefče Stojkovski

This podcast was recorded in December 2008, when Stefče visited Seattle. He tells the story of his family's long-time involvement in folk music, his path to professional work (including meeting Mile Kolarov), and his first recording with Dragi. This episode provides an introduction to the upcoming podcasts for Dragi's second CD, Echo of My Soul.

Audio and Links for Episode 19

Episode 19: Interview with Stefče Stojkovski (37:04)

Stefče Stojkovski CDs

Na stolče sedam (Dragi Spasovski, Track 17)

Ozdol ide mlad delija (Dragi Spasovski, 2:55)

Pravo Dračevsko (Mile Kolarov, 2:08)

Ratevka (Mile Kolarov, 2:15)

Bolen mi leži Kara-Mustafa (Dragi Spasovski, Track 6)

Kalino sestro (Rajna Spasovska, 2:58)

Ori Jano, sokol Jano (Dragi Spasovski, Track 16)

5 June 2010

Episode 18: Interview with Goran Alachki, Adrijana Alachka, and Bajsa Arifovska

This podcast was recorded in January 2009, when all three musicians were visiting Seattle. Each gets to tell the story of how they found this folk music in their lives and what their professional work has been since. A fascinating account of three paths to the same place.

Audio and Links for Episode 18

Episode 18: Interview with Goran Alachki, Adrijana Alachka, and Bajsa Arifovska (42:40)

Goran and Adrijana Alachki CDs

Eleno mome (Goran Alachki, 4:08)

Zajdi, zajdi, jašno sonce (Goran Alachki, audio stream, 4:14)

Jovano, Jovanke (Adrijana Alachka, 3:06)

Ni prela gora, ni tkala (Adrijana Alachka, 3:16)

Veleško oro (Bajsa Arifovska, 4:17)

Jeni jol (Bajsa Arifovska, 6:00)

25 April 2010

Episode 17: Zbogum mila, dojde denot

This podcast, the last of the songs on Dragi's CD with Goran, features Nikola Badev, who first recorded it. Dragi talks about his relationship with Badev, discusses more about the emotional impact of young men going to foreign lands, and explains why certain singers are never forgotten in Macedonia.

Audio and Links for Episode 17

Episode 17: Zbogum mila, dojde denot (19:44)

Zbogum mila, dojde denot (Dragi Spasovski, Track 16)

Zbogum mila, dojde denot (Nikola Badev, 3:25)

Podranila cena (Nikola Badev, :39)

Legnala, ludo, zaspalo (Dragi Spasovski, 3:11)

Blaze tebe, Mitro mori (Nikola Badev, 4:53)

13 February 2010

Episode 16: Tri godini stana

For this song from Resen about unhappy love, Dragi reviews the original Raspejani Resenčani recording, talks about Goran's arrangement, and tells how he's incorporated another version of the song into his own performances.

Audio and Links for Episode 16

Episode 16: Tri godini stana (10:14)

Voice of My Soul (Dragi Spasovski, Track 15)

Tri godini stana (unknown, courtesy of Dave Golber, 7:58)

14 December 2009