Balkan

Balkan is a group from Denmark. The name is also used for two other acts in the available information: a death/doom/sludge metal project from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and an ex Yu rock band from Novi Sad.

Denmark: Balkan folk fusion trio

The Danish Balkan trio consists of Egon Aagard, Peter Bastian and Jon Ravn. The group says it forms from a shared interest in Slavic and Turkish music, drawing on material ranging from Bulgarian village weddings to Istanbul nightclubs and combining those influences with western European musical roots. The trio is described as having found each other in 1972.

Novi Sad: ex Yu rock band

The Novi Sad version of Balkan is founded in 1982 by Aleksandar-Leki Cvetković, who sings and plays guitar. The original line-up also includes Željko Jerković on rhythm guitar, Saša Zavišić on bass and Radivoj Bugarski on drums. The group first appears as an opening act for other bands on tours through Vojvodina.

Its first album, Gola istina, is issued later in 1982. The songs are recorded in the Meta Sound studio in Novi Sad, with mixing in the MS studio in Belgrade, except for “Slepe snage”, which is recorded and mixed in the Paragon studio in Berlin. Robert Nemeček produces the album, while Aleksandar Cvetković writes the music, lyrics and arrangements. Guest musicians include Boris Kovač on saxophone, Zoran Babin on keyboards, and Olja Jeftić and Dragana Radukin on backing vocals. The album’s best-known tracks include “Tridesetpeta-šesta”, “Kolonisti” and “Moji drugari”.

The second album, Na brdovitom Balkanu, is recorded in June 1983 in the MS studio, again with Robert Nemeček producing. Cvetković writes the music, lyrics and arrangements, apart from the lyrics to “Subotom se Sava u Dunav uliva”, which are by Boža Željković. Tracks that stand out from the record include “Svečanost”, “10 kg neto” and “Subotom se Sava u Dunav uliva”.

After a year-long break, the group returns in early 1985 with the third album, Homobalcanicus, produced by Srđan Marjanović. Cvetković writes the music and arrangements, while the lyrics are by Cvetković, Jerković, Zavišić and Željković; Miodrag Ilić writes “Nobl dama”. “Klošari” and “Čaša Banatskog” are among the album’s notable songs.

Saša Zavišić leaves in early 1986, and the group plays only occasionally until 1989. That year Željko Glamočanin joins on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Zoran Vasiljević joins on keyboards. The album Kome verovati follows soon after, produced by Aleksandar Cvetković and Milan Ćirić. Cvetković writes the music and arrangements, with lyrics by Cvetković, Glamočanin, Miodrag Ilić and Nikola Sekulić. Sead Lipovača plays guitar solos, and the recording also features the primary school choir “Mihajlo Pupin” plus Nikola Sekulić on vocals for “Kafanska braća”. “Tridesetpeta-šesta II deo” and “Beograd-Borovo 88” emerge as the main tracks from the album. The group stops working shortly after the record is issued.

In 2004, Aleksandar Cvetković reunites the group with Željko Jerković on rhythm guitar, Radivoj Bugarski on drums and Branimir Gucunski on bass. Later that year the group records songs for a fifth album, Boli me nepravda. In 2007, the double CD Antologija 1982-2007 appears, collecting well-known songs and several instrumentals. The line-up is later listed as Aleksandar Cvetković - Leki on guitar and vocals, Roker on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Miša on bass guitar, Zoki on keyboards and guitars, and Japanac on drums.