Bluesmen's World(Music)

The names of Nikola Parov and Ágnes Herczku should not be introduced as their common work started 10 years ago and the several edited CDs prove that their work hasn’t lost interest and lead to new ways. Three years ago their solo CD entitled ‘I’ve got a lover’ showed that the folk songs are capable to revive in new conditions. Nikola Parov has selected the music in this CD from his existing and ever improving repertoire. It was recorded when the songs were fully developed and proved timeless based on the audience’s feedback. Thus, the Hungarian version of a composition of Richard Thompson is also on the CD, in addition to folk songs from the Balkan, Greece and Hungary.
An interesting feature is the song ‘To the woman’. As a difference from the other songs, the singer is the composer himself: Nikola Parov. The composition has been in the drawer for 2-3 years waiting for a male singer. Finally it was the song that has made the decision: it showed that it’s the composer who can sing it more honestly.

01. KataKata
02. Virágok vetélkedése
03. Szívet szívért
04. Télben szamár, nyárban ló
05. Történet a Múzeum utcában
06. A nőnek
07. Utolsó tánc
08. Fodo
09. Megéred még
10. Troitza bratya
11. Ya stani
12. Rabszolgád lettem
13. Rustyuluj

Ágnes HERCZKU - vocal
Nikola PAROV - guitars, kaval, mandolin, buzuki, gayda, violin, vocal, flutes

Featuring:
Sándor FÖDŐ - piano, percussion
Szlobodan WERTETICS - accordion
Dániel SZABÓ - cimbalom
Andreas LEHOUDIS (Sirtos Band) - vocal

Link

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com

Big thanks Frankie for the CD!

The Bulgarian-Hungarian musician Nikola Parov who has been playing in several groups, this time went into studio with the finest ethno and world musicians to make his brand new album Balkan Syndicate. A kind of music was born which is up-to-date and modern, but at the same time it involves elements of world music as well. Hearing these temperamental rythms the amusement and fun is guaranteed. Thanks to Nikola Parov and the contributing artists, the audience can hear a world-standard album which holds its ground wherever in the global musical life, from an artists who has obtained his professionalism playing for several years on the Broadway and as a soloist of the Riverdance Orchestra.

01. Este jő/ Evening Comes
02. Kurva lesz a babám /My Darling is a Misstress
03. Flash & Crash /Flash & Crash
04. Fúdd el fúdd / Blow it Blow Away
05. Mi zörög / Crush in the Bush
06. Prela Baba / Prela Baba
07. Walter búcsúja /Walter’s Farawell
08. Szerelem betegje / Sick of Love
09. Anyám édes anyám / Mother Dear Mother
10. Mikor lesz már nyár / Wish for Summer
11. Repülj madár repülj / Fly Birdy Fly

Gyenge Lajos
Bantsheva, Roza
Dorozsmai Péter
Csonka Walter
Herczku Ági
Pain
Szalóki Ági
Rostás Károly
Varga György
Bognár Szilvia
Todorova, Elitza
Yordanova, Borislava
Parov, Nikola
Georgieva, Velitshka

Link

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com

Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nikola Parov first played the mandolin at six. His grandfather, a professional musician, immersed him in the musical traditions of the Balkans at a very early age. Nikola began formal instruction in piano and cello at ten, shortly after he moved to Budapest where he lives with his family.

Nikola studied regional folklore and at twenty became a full time musician, forming the group Zsarátnok which gained wide recognition on the European scene. He collected instruments and performed the musical heritage of the Balkans, releasing several succesful albums including

Now a key figure in the folk music world, Nikola Parov"s commitment to culture and music studies was acknowledged by the George Soros Foundation and the Academmy of Science in Budapest. With their support he spent several years meticulously researching and documenting the history, culture and instruments of Balkan music.

Nikola Parov is a featured artist in the Riverdance Orchestra, playing a wide variety of instruments: kaval, gadulka, bouzuki and gaida. As well as recording with Bill Whelan, Andy Irvine, Zsaratnok, and Marta Sebestyen and composing dance music for the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble, Nikola"s talent is in demand in films: School of Senses, Some Mother"s Son, television ducumentaries: Before Your Eyes- CBS News, commercials and the awared winning animated project Tales of Vases. Nikola continues his search for excellence as he pursues his multi-faceted music career.

01. Hasapiko & Sirto - Greece
02. Rchenitsa - Bulgaria
03. Maqam - Of Arabian Origin
04. Bavno Pomashko - Macedonia
05. Karsilama - Of Turkish Origin
06. Pravo Sareshko - Macedonia
07. Tsifteteli - Of Arabian Origin
08. Rebetiko - Greece
09. Bavno Makedonsko - Macedonia
10. Danse Thrace - Bulgaria
11. Danse Lente Du Banat - of Rumanian origin
12. Maqam Du Strandzhia - Bulgaria

Nikola Parov: gadulka, keman, ud, bouzouki, tambour, contrebasse, cornemuse, kaval, clarinette, saxophone, duduk, nay, qanoun, baglama, tapan, percussion
Ivan Barvich: viola-tambour
László Major: vièle
Vladimir Krunity: accordéon
Almassalma Ahmed Kheir: derbuka

Link
The missing track

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com

"Nothing can inspire an artist more than being challenged. The artist in question is Nikola Parov, New York based and playing in the world-famous formation RIVERDANCE."

Nikola Parov is a featured artist in the Riverdance Orchestra, playing a wide variety of instruments: kaval, gadulka, bouzuki and gaida. As well as recording with Bill Whelan, Andy Irvine, Zsarátnok, and Márta Sebestyén and composing dance music for the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble.

“Budapest producer, Nikola Parov, not only constructs modern chamber-folk arrangements... but also plays a staggering array of instruments himself.”

1. Anonym
2. Trance Danubius
3. Diva's Smile
4. Mayo Woman
5. Satyr's Night
6. Tsami
7. Ritual
8. Passio

Musicians:
Nikola Parov - vocals, acoustic guitar, oud, bouzouki, gaida, kaval, gadulka, flute, tin whistle, clarinet, piano, keyboards, programming, percussion
Berecz András - vocals
Des Moore - electric guitar
Zoltán Lantos - violin
Mairtin O'Connor - accordion
Davy Spillane - pipes
Kenneth Edge - soprano saxophone
Ferenc Kovács - trumpet
Ottó Rácz - oboe
Noel Eccles - drums, timpani, percussion

Link

The music on the album is a fusion of Hungarian, Irish and Bulgarian folk, presented with an authenticity and ease that forges the different traditions into a unified work of art. The arrangement makes use of the traditional instruments of the three cultures, surprising the listeners with a multicultural swirl of music. The album shows Parov’s vision clearly: even though nations and cultures are different, the music offers an universal way of expressing human feelings; we share our feelings of love and sadness with each other and a music expressing these feelings is addressed to every one of us. That’s the way Nikola’s music becomes everyone’s music.

01.Ha te tudnád
02.Shto Kaszmete
03.Bánatra
04.Volt nékem szeretőm
05.Édes voltál, kedves voltál
06.Férfiszívről
07.Átkozott gyötrelem
08.Két ragyogó szép szemedért...
09.Se nem eső
10.Tavasz után
11.Ha te tudnád [Remix]

Link