BELEF – TO PLAY LIKE ALL NORMAL PEOPLE

Does Belgrade really exist in a musical map of the world as a significant metropolis?

In the years to pass, the answer was negative; domestic musicians did aspire to Belgrade as to their ultimate goal, however, foreign musicians have never had Belgrade at their priority lists even in the most peaceful of times. Of course, there are always exceptions proving the rule, owing to which we had the opportunity to pride in their visiting performances and cherish the memories of those for years. The situation has nowadays drastically changed –there has been a plethora of festivals, even the Big War Island in the Danube River has been occupied, the biggest world stars are delighted to play their concerts here. Belgrade is today an interesting place, while a hospitable and curious audience make, along with decent fees, a sufficient challenge.

Now we come to a point yearning for originality, which is today, when all the concert places in the town have been infected by the “world music” virus, a must. Luckily enough, the world itself is a big stage, generating good music everywhere. Cooperation and exchange of influences is possible anywhere. This is today the main tendency at the musical stage. Even the most unusual of cooperations are possible, the influences are all-present and accessible to anyone to adopt and filter them, thus creating his own music.

Thus, BELEF is being hosting a Mexican group led by the American, however, their music is not characteristic for any of them, but is an entirely new product. Or let us mention a group from New York, superbly combining Klesmer, jazz and Latino sound. There is a local rock star, accompanied by the best domestic classical, jazz and rock musicians rendering under various influences an entirely different sound. This line of artists stretches through the very end of the festival, including the best Romany female singer accompanied by the Bosnian folk band, or a group of the best Armenian/Turkish musicians…hold on a second, are not these the areas in which wars were once waged and killings prevailed? Fortunately, there are people understanding that music and cooperation can be a part of normal world. Let us be a part of that world?

Bojan Djordjevic,
BELEF Musical Programme Selector

JUL

Wednesday, 9 July 2003, 9 p.m.
9 RAIN MEXICO
Barutana

Tuesday, 15 July 2003, 9 p.m.
SEPTETO ROBERTO JUAN RODRIGUEZ USA
Sava Centre garden

Thursday, 17 July 2003, 9 p.m.
BRINA & STRING.SI SLOVENIA
Kalemegdan Summer Stage

Friday, 18 July 2003, 9 p.m.
SVETLANA SPAJIC & “WHITE LINEN”
LOCAL ETHNO MUSIC WORKSHOP
Kalemegdan Summer Stage

Friday, 25 July 2003, 9 p.m.
VLADA DIVLJAN
POGON, BYCC

Monday, 28 July 2003, 9 p.m.
LJILJANA PETROVIĆ BUTTLER &
MOSTAR SEVDAH REUNION
Barutana

Thursday 31 July.
SUPERSTAR ORCHESTRA
Skadarlija

AVGUST

Tuesday, 5 August 2003, 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.
THINK OF ONE, Belgium
On a bus through the city & and live music in New Belgrade

Friday, 8 August 2003, 9 p.m.
DOUBLE SCULL
Kalemegdan Summer Stage

Friday, 15 August 2003, 9 p.m.
BeGeVe
Kalemegdan Summer Stage

Saturday, 16 August 2003, 9 p.m.
ARMENIAN NAVY BAND, Armenia/Turkey
Barutana

Wednesday, 20 August 2003, 9 p.m.
NENAD VASILIC BALKAN BAND
AUSTRIA/SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
Kalemegdan Summer Stage

Saturday, 23 August 2003, 9 p.m.
DANCAS OCULTAS PORTUGAL
Kalemegdan Summer Stage