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Ivo Papasov

'Fairground'

Musicians:
Ivo Papasov - clarinet
Maria Karafizieva - voice
Nesho Neshev - accordion
Vasil Denev - keyboards
Salif Ali - drums
Stoyan Yankulov - tupan drum, percussion
Ateshhan Husseinov - guitar
Vasil Parmakov - piano
Ivo Zvezdomirov - bass
Stefan Marinov - bass


Label - Kuker Music
Released - 2004
Digipak with free poster

'As a creator of contemporary Balkan music, he long ago became part of global culture.

Thirty years ago, in 1974, long before Balkan music was discovered on the major music scene, Ivo Papasov started his revolution with his Trakija Band. At the time he could hardly have known that he was creating a new movement, later known as wedding band music, a mix of Bulgarian and Balkan folk with contemporary elements. His work changed the face of Bulgarian and world music and developed it in new directions. 

No wonder his fans around the world call him the King of Wedding Band Music. In deference to his amazing talent, Bulgarians call him the Aga (the Master). And Papasov really is part of the best moments of their lives. His music resounds not only at major concert venues, but also at the important days of their lives, their weddings and family celebrations.

Ivo Papasov works with world-renowned musicians like Milcho Leviev, Peter Ralchev, Teodosii Spasov, Antoni Donchev, Johnny Griffin, Hector Zazou, Okay Temiz, Glen Velez, Kepa Junkera, Arild Andersen, Kalman Balogh, Iva Bitova, Sergei Starostin; he plays at festivals in Paris, Salzburg, Tilburg, Krakow, Budapest, the Sodra Teatern in Stockholm, the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, the Moers Festival, TFF Rudolstadt, Schloss Elmau, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Ronnie Scott’s in London, etc., etc.

His new album Fairground is a source of what we all love so much: a tender, lyrical and crazily exuberant mix of bright sounds, beautiful melodies improvisations in half-tones and rhythms, so lovingly created that it draws from our hearts what we cherish most. 

The album layout is in style with Ibryama’s music. Along with the disc itself, wonderfully and poetically annotated by musicologist Gencho Gaytandzhiev, the special box contains special gifts for friends of Ivo Papasov’s music, like a big poster of the Aga himself and his musicians. Everything apart from the disc is refreshingly devoid of plastic. There can hardly be such a stylishly presented product on the Bulgarian music market.'

'The most famous practitioner of Bulgaria's most favoured musical format; master clarinetist Ivo Papasov is the King Of Wedding Music. Though Western European eyebrows might be raised at such a title, it equates Papasov with the status of superstar in his native country. Papasov and his Orchestra tour the Balkans, playing several weddings a week (many couples will re-arrange the dates of their ceremonies to coincide with a blank entry in his diary). He descends from a long line of zurna (double-reed instrument) and clarinetists. After forming his first ensemble in 1974, he gradually evolved from a traditional Thracian repertoire into a jazz-inspired improvisational set. This new work nevertheless maintained the complex time-signatures required of traditional Bulgarian dance music. 

Ivo Papasov had stumbled over the incredibly popular formula which would see him become a national toast.'

'Ivo's wedding music, played first thing in the morning, provides thorough and long-lasting attitude adjustment for the busy executive.'
FRANK ZAPPA

'Once again, Papasov has his band as well as the listener holding onto the tail of a tiger in this incendiary romp through traditional dance styles given a contemporary facelift.'
DOWNBEAT Magazine

'With a huge gut and unwieldy frame, Ivo Papasov seems an unlikely source for some of the most nimble and virtuoso music you’ll be left in little doubt that he’s one of most interesting clarinetists around. He and his band race through numbers based on the complex rhythms of Bulgarian folk dances, grafting on jazzy improvisations.'
SIMON BROUGHTON editor: THE ROUGH GUIDE TO WORLD MUSIC

GBP 10.79

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Ivo Papasov

'Fairground'

This symbol  indicates an mp3 sound clip for that track. Click on the symbol and wait for the clip to start. For more information click here. Tracks

1. Domirdjiiska Rachenitsa (6'29") 2. Roujha (7'52") 3. Like a Dream (5'23") 4. Seleste (6'54") 5. Gipsy Heart (7'00") 6. Mother's Lament (7'12") 7. Rositsa (7'38") 8. Yokel Uncle (10'10" 9. Fairground (4'08") 10. Rodopa (7'33")

Duration (70'27")