Kočani Orkestar

Anyone searching for the wilder side of traditional Balkan musics may have a tough time finding it Croatia. But, once in a while, a troupe visit who bring back sounds that were once more commonplace here. Kočani Orkestar are a Macedonian Romani trubači group who make a wild, fast, funky and festive sound. The band have been around since the late '80s and incorporate elements of traditional dancing music from Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia into their sound, plus Turkish/Bulgarian rhythms unfamiliar to many western ears. They have recorded five of their own albums and received yet more global acclaim for two collaborative albums made with famed Romanian troupe Taraf de Haïdouks. True to the multicultural, multilingual nature of the Balkans, Kočani Orkestar's music is sung in several languages including Macedonian, Romani and even a Turkish dialect spoken by their home Romani community in Kočani. Lead until 2000 by the revered Naat Veliov, since his retirement the troupe has been lead by Ismail Saliev and then his son, Bilent Saliev.