About the CD "Cafe Sevdah"
De laatste jaren waren ze wat naar de achtergrond gedrongen, maar
Mostar Sevdah Reunion is in vrijwel geheel vernieuwde bezetting terug
met een ijzersterke cd.
Het klankpalet wordt nu gedomineerd door het inventieve gitaarspel
van oudgediende Miso Petrovic en de zorgvuldig gedoseerde pianopartijen
van Gabrijel Prusina.
Grootste aanwinst is zanger Nermin Alukic, wiens licht gevoileerde
stem een viertal tracks siert. Hoogtepunten zijn de ballade Kraj pendzera
Jusuf stari, over de oude Jusuf die bij het raam gezeten peinzend
terugblikt op zijn lange leven, en het bedwelmend mooie Gondze ruza,
waarin Alukic een rozenknop bezingt.
(Ton Maas, De Volkkrant, November 2007)
What would happen if you parachuted Van Morrison into deepest Bosnia?
It might seem a silly question, but the collision of cultures on this
latest release from one of the great Balkan institutions really does
conjure up fleeting thoughts of the gloomy one in full swing. It's
not hard to detect a melancholic hint of the blues in the Bosnian
folk style of sevdah, and the unabashedly jazzy flavour of some of
these pieces underscores the connection. The band is on a roll at
the moment, and this roughhewn recording is every bit as varied and
full-blooded as previous collaborations with the likes of Ljiljana
Buttler.
(Clive Davis, the Sunday Times, November 2007)
About the CD " Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Lliljana Buttler-
The Legends of Life"
After a Stellar Career in the Kafanas (music bars) of former Yugoslavia,
Gypsy singer Ljiljana Buttler fled the Balkan war for obscure exile
in Germany in 1990 before intrepid producer Dragi Sestic'rediscovered'
her. With the viruoso acoustic group Mostar Sevdah Reunion, they made
The mother of Gypsy soul (2003), a breathtaking collection of classic
Bosnian sevdalinka - slow, tragic love songs. This 2005 follow - up
of Roma and Yugoslav standars is marvellous. Buttlers's deep, sobbing
voice is given sterling instrumental support, in particular by Mustafa
Santic's accordion and clarinet and quest violinist Slobodan Stancic.
A few upbeat dances lighten teh mood, but otherwise misery has seldom
sounded so musical.
(john Lusk, BBC Music magazine proms, august
2007 - BBC Music Choise)
About the CD " Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Ljiljana Buttler -
The Legends of Life"
....The legends of Life is, to me, an even better album than Mother
of Gypsy Soul. For a start, singer and band are more familiar with
one another so the music rolls effortlessly forward. Ljiljana's wonderfully
deep voice sailing above the ensemble's beatific playing...
...A colossal Achievement...
(Garth Carthwright, Froots Magazine, UK, june
2007)
About the CD " Mostar Sevdah Reunion and Ljiljana Buttler -
The Legends of Life"
Now here is a voice that has been lived in. Once a leading light
of Balkan gypsy music, Buttler spent a decade or more in obscurity
in exile, at one time working as a cleaner to make ends meet. A comeback
album won acclaim a couple of years ago, and this new disc is every
bit as atmospheric. Buttler’s voice is surprisingly masculine
and bluesy; and, if it is occasionally wayward, she has magnificent
support from that Bosnian institution the Mostar Sevdah Reunion, creating
a relaxed ambience poised between jazz, folk and blues. Another local
legend, Saban Bajramovic, makes an appearance, but this is very much
Buttler’s show. CD
(Sunday Times, UK, April 2007)
Mostar Sevdah Reunion " A Secret Gate" - released august
2003 by Snail records, The Netherlands
...
and the overall flavour of the album is that of a soulful melancholy,
music made by people touched by tragedy, yet determinded to keep on
living. Very highly recommended.
( Garth Cartwright FRoots Magazine, UK , January/february
2004)
Mostar
Sevdah Reunion presents "Ljiljana Buttler - The mother of Gypsy
soul" released in october 2002 by
Snail records,
The Netherlands
...Ljiljana
Buttler is one of the great re-discovered voices of Eastern Europe.
Deep, dark and distinctive. Her recording with the Mostar Sevdah Reunion
band, "The Mother of Gypsy Soul (Snail Records) is one of my CDs
of the year and impresses everyone I've played in to. (Simon
Broughton ,Songlines, UK, September/October 2002 )
...Ljiljana
Buttler's debut CD is delicious: Ljiljana's deep, almost masculine,
voice picks out words and tosses them into the air with effortless
grace. And the instumental backing by Mostar Sevdah Reunion and legendary
trumpet virtuoso Boban Markovic is inspired: the musicians spoon out
the notes with a tangilble, almost erotic, delicacy while Ljiljana
sails above them, her voice caressing the listener.
(Garth
Carthwright, FRoots Magazine, UK January/February 2003)
Songlines
recommends, ...Something very special indeed. (Kim Burton, Songlines,
UK, September/October 2002)
...a
master piece in every aspects.
(Mark Nolis, Roots Town Music, Belgium)
Gypsy
Cosmic blues, 5***** ...Mother of Gypsy soul is simply one more perfect
album with signature of Mostar Sevdah Reunion and the best CD released
by Ljiljana.
(Zlatko Gall, Slobodna Dalmacija, Croatia, May 2003)
...beautiful
music which breaths sadness, bitterness, melancholy and hope. Beautiful
recorded and produced.
5***** ( Twentse courant, Holland, 03.02.2003)
....
No Risk Disc! (Platomania, Holland, february
2003)
...The
fantastic music product - probaly the greatest gypsy singer in the
world.
( Senad Avdic - Slobodna Bosna/ Bosnia and Hercegovina,
20.02.2003)
