Brasslands (Evergreene Music 007, 2014)
Brasslands is the soundtrack to a film dedicated to documenting the most important brass music festivals in Eastern Europe. The event takes place in Guca (Serbia) and includes a highly coveted trumpet competition.
Normally, the majority of the artists competing at Guca are Roma (Gypsy) performers from the region. Part of the film documents the participation of a brass band from New York City named Zlatne Uste, the first American band to participate in Guca.
This CD is not a compilation of the best Balkan brass bands, but rather a collection of performances by leading Serbian and American brass bands that are connected to the film. The participants include reigning champion Dejan Petrovic (Uzice, Serbia), virtuoso performer Demiran Cerimovic (Vranje, Serbia), and the Dejan Avdic Orchestra (Vranjska Banja, Serbia). These artists perform a wide-ranging vibrant mix of Balkan music, Latin jazz and popular songs.
The New York bands are part of a growing brass music scene inspired by Balkan music and the sounds from other places such as New Orleans. The American artists include Zlatne Uste, Raya Brass Band, Slavic Soul Party, and Veveritse Brass Band.
Brasslands was shot in a vérité (observational cinema) style, providing the historical, political, and personal context of the musicians and the living conditions of the Roma. It was produced and filmed by the Meerkat Media Collective, with four camera crews filming simultaneously at Guca. The producers document the festival as well as cultural rituals such as a traditional Roma housewarming ceremony in a racially segregated Serbian town.
Another aspect of Brasslands is a look at how institutional racism affects the Roma, observing how racism affects an individual.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
