We will remember 2015 with an array of ethno music projects inspired by Bulgarian folk music. In our Ethno-fantasies selection we present some of them. They have been created in different points of the planet and by authors of various ethnicities.

Fire Feast is a composition of Theodosii Spassov in the rendition of the composer and Heavenly Strings quartet. This is only one in a range of projects that the famous musician has launched in the recent years. He is artistic director of the Yellow Tiles Festival in Sofia that welcomed as a dear guest David Pena Dorantes. Spassov has been partnering with the distinguished flamenco pianist for many years. In early December 2015 Theodosii Spassov was back from another tour of USA where he was together with the band БALKANSKY. Across the Atlantic the musicians had great experience with the American audience and also with the Bulgarian community there. In the Bulgarian-American art center Madara in Boston the musicians of band БALKANSKY played on stage jointly with Elena Koleva (a jazz singer who lives there), Pletenitsa Balkan Choir that is focused on Bulgarian folklore and others. Christiane Karam, leader of Pletenitsa, singer and professor at Berklee College of Music said she had been happy to work with maestro Spassov, declared 2015 Unesco Artist for Peace. Let us remind you that since 2014 Christiane Karam has been leading master classes in Bulgaria. Enchanted by Bulgarian folk music she has a new Bulgarian ethno project Naima. For it she has teamed up with Zhivko Vasilev, shepherd's flute, Stanislav Arabadzhiev, piano and guitar, and Peyo Peev, rebec. The musicians have given a few concerts in Bulgaria and have been working on their first album.

Vladko Karparov is one of the most talented Bulgarian saxophonists. He lives in Germany and has been giving concerts in many European countries. He is leading a few formations. Last summer Karparov carried out a successful tour in several Bulgarian towns with his saxophone quartet Forkolor (four colours). His works represent a unique mix of contemporary jazz and metro-rhythmic and melodious elements from Bulgarian folklore.

Famous folk singer Neli Andreeva is soloist and choir-master of Filip Kutev State Folklore Ensemble. Her songs come from the Rhodope folklore region. For years she has been composing themes that mix pop and ethno music. This is how her album The Only One was released in 2015. Some of the songs in it are composed by Nikolay Peev who has also made the arrangement. 

"I was born in a small country. Its language is spoken by fewer people than the population of New York, the city I now live in. Nevertheless, the songs of Bulgarian women are heard in all parts of the planet, and travel in outer space, on board the Voyager space shuttle”, said Vlada Tomova on the occasion of her debut album Balkan Tales. It was released in 2009 and has been presented in USA, Bulgaria and other countries. In 2015 Vlada took part in several Bulgarian festivals and is currently working on a new album.

Although it has been around for just three years, the project Aka Balkan Moon has already been presented in several European countries. In it the famous Belgian jazz musicians from Aka Moon team up with Bulgarian virtuosos Nedyalko Neydalkov, shepherd's flute, Stoyan Yankulov, percussion, Vladimir Karparov, saxophone, and folk singer Stoimenka Nedyalkova. All pieces are based on Bulgarian folklore themes. Their joint work began in 2012. The album they released in 2015 was presented in Brussels and Sofia. „Let me stress that this project is a fresh proof that Bulgarian folklore has universal human value. Once again Bulgarian traditional music has inspired musicians from other countries for new, interesting projects”, Nedyalko Nedyalkov said.

Life is Music is the title of the album of Velichka and Veli Chaushev. It gathers together various melodies and rhythmic patterns and presents folklore, ethno, jazz and pop with sometimes a slightly oriental touch. This is the debut album of the folk singer and her husband who plays the tambourine. The album includes two original Karakachan songs. “The music of this ethnic community is full of calm that present-day people have long lost. I think that whoever can feel this state of calm is a lucky man”.

English Daniela Konstantinova

The audio file contains the following pieces:

1. Fire Feast by a composition of Theodosii Spassov in the rendition of the composer and Heavenly Strings quartet

2. Gypsy Desert from the project Naima by Christiane Karam - with Zhivko Vasilev, shepherd's flute, Stanislav Arabadzhiev, piano and guitar, and Peyo Peev, rebec

3. The Street, Vladimir Karparov Quartet

4. The Only One, Neli Andreeva

5. Women's Dance, Vlada Tomova

6. The Old Woman Ate Plenty of Lentils, Aka Balkan Moon,

7. Vasilikos, Spectrum