What fado is to Portuguzen or rembetika to the Greeks, sevdalinka is to the Bosniaks: songs that sing sweet and therefore cause sorrow. The genre's name is derived from the Turkish word 'sevdah' meaning 'desire'. The Bosnian capital Sarajevo has always been the epicenter of the Sevdalinka. For a long time, the city was nicknamed Little Jerusalem because of the enormous diversity of believers who
… populated the city. The sevdalinka therefore shows influences from Turkish, Slavic, Greek and Sephardic Jewish music. This compilation from the Piranha label shows the current state of affairs within this music style. The soothing voices of excellent singers like Jadranka Stojakovic, Zerina Cokoja and Vesna Hadzic deserve a large audience. The instrumental contribution of Quatro Bassi with members from almost all the former Yugoslav republics, is also beautiful. The tone is not so much plaintive, but rather melancholy and resigned. Sevdalinka: Sarajevo Love Songs is a great album for a warm summer night. The booklet has good liner notes that tell about the history of the Bosniaks and their sevdah. (PdK)more
