Macedonian Postcards

Dragi talks about the meaning of the archaic work "zdram," and how folk songs helpf preserve a culture's heritage.

For this first song of the Echo CD, Dragi talks about the differences between urban, čalgija, and traditional singing. He describes how he recorded two different versions of a song in two singing styles. And there's more about Kiril Mančevski.

Stefče tells the story of his family's long-time involvement in folk music, his path to professional work (including meeting Mile Kolarov), and his first recording with Dragi.

This podcast was recorded in January 2009, when all three musicians were visiting Seattle. Each gets to tell the story of how they found this folk music in their lives and what their professional work has been since.

Dragi talks about his relationship with Nikola Badev, who first recorded this song, discusses more about the emotional impact of young men going to foreign lands, and explains why certain singers are never forgotten in Macedonia.

For this song from Resen about unhappy love, Dragi reviews the original Raspejani Resenčani recording, talks about Goran's arrangement, and tells how he's incorporated another version of the song into his own performances.

Dragi talks about Vasilievski's original recording of this sad love song from Eastern Macedonia, Jordan Nikolić, Mara Gjorgjević, and the strange true tale of Lenka Pingova and Koljo Velkov.

For this Ohrid song about a young Christian girl who falls in love with a Turk, Dragi talks about the Ohridski Trubaduri, Ansambl Biljana, and ethnic Turks and Albanians who recorded for Radio Skopje.

Dragi speculates on why his repertoire contains so many songs from Lazaropole, the process by which some singers at festivals performed songs not from their home region, and more about his personal relationship with Sarievski.

Dragi talks about Anka Gieva, who first recorded this song about a likely arranged marriage, Olga Sičan from Tetovo, and the real life Vaske Evgova and Epsa Dimuševa.