MySpace a place for friends

The quintessential brass Balkan band, originating from Vladicin Han, Southern Serbia, once again captures the mantle of leading band of Serbia (a title for which they have remained crowned since the late 80’s). Their music, performed by a twelve-piece strong band, is wholly defined by their own gypsy lineage whilst giving a knowing nod towards other musical and cultural backgrounds closely related to that of the Romani’s.

To date the Boban and the Orkestar have won all of the most prestigious accolades available to players in Serbia: ‘Trumpet Maestro’ (x2), ‘Golden Trumpet’, ‘First Trumpet’, ‘The Best Orchestra’, ‘Best Concert’. Most of which have been presented at the notorious "Dragacevski Sabor" in Guca, Southern Serbia - a festival noted to attract both fierce some competition and audiences of up-to 600,000 people.

In addition to the 12 CDs and cassettes released so far, Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar have performed and featured on/at/in the following:
-Emir Kusturica’s infamous films: ‘Underground’ & ‘Arizona Dream’
-‘Unblocked’ (‘Music from the Eastern Europe’) compilation on Elipsis Arts in USA.’
-"Srbija: Sounds Global" vol. 1, 2 and 3 (B92) 2000/2002/2005.
“Golden Brass Summit” Anthology of 40 years in Guca. (Network Medien). First 4 tracks.’
-“Rromano Suno” Vol. 1 and 2 Gypsy music from the Balkans (B92) 2003/2006.’
-“Gucha! The Distant trumpet” Soundtrack of the movie (2006)’
-Main characters on award winning documentary film "Competition"

So far the band have performed in Greece, Belgium, Rumania, USA, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Holland, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine, Monaco, Russia, Switzerland, Poland, Sweden, Canada, UK, Germany, Spain, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Turkey, Portugal, Ireland, Luxembourg, France, Slovakia, Croatia, Czech Republic. Over the last 7 years the number is more than 600. In 2002 and 2004 they made 100+ concerts, including tours in USA/Canada. Boban and his son Marko are also staring in a documentary on Gypsy artists called “Usti Opre”, which includes live music from Iva Bittova, Kalman Balogh, Boban Markovic Orkestar, Ivo Papasov, Sergey Erdenko and others.

Since 2002., Boban’s then only 14 years old son Marko is fully in the band. In the meanwhile he became main soloist and arranger in the band. Beside that Marko start his acting career, as main character in movie “Gucha! The Distant Trumpet”, directed by Dusan Milic and produced by Emir Kusturica, which had world premiere in February 2007 (Serbian premiere has been in November 2006, with huge success) at Berlin Film festival. In the movie, Marko is young Romeo, a Gypsy kid, a trumpet player, falling in love with white Serbian girl, whose father is also a trumpet player. Not only a talented actor, but also played most of the music. Film hits European cinemas in fall 2007. Soundrtack of that movie has been nominated for European Film Award for the original music score.

Marko, now the main soloist and arranger in the band, has collaborated heavily, as soloist and co-arranger with Shantel on his great new CD “Disco Partizani” and have did some great shows with Bucovina Orchestar.

In 2006 and 2007 Boban i Marko Markovic Orketsar have played many shows with Roy Paci and Frank London, as part of “Il Terrone, Il Hebreo e el Zingaro” show, with huge success. This project will continue with new shows in January 2008.

New CD “Go Marko Go” is out on Piranha Musik in November, 9th 2007 and band is promoting new album heavily late 2007 and in 2008.

Since 2006, Marko, then 18, is co-leading the band along with his father, taking many spectacular solos, but also composing and arranging new material for the band, as well as producing new CD altogether with Boban.

At the Pepsi Sziget Festival, Budapest (2001) the Boban Markovic Orkestar performed on the World Music Stage to a capacity crowd of 15,000. Great news for Boban but not so for the famous indie band ‘Oasis’ - the British act had to postpone their set by 30 mins due to the fact that no-one would move from Boban’s outstanding performance!

Jurors presenting the “The First Trumpet” award (highest accolade known amongst all brass musicians in Serbia) to Boban at “Dragacevski Sabor 2001 all awarded votes of ‘10/10’ points for his performance. A first since the opening of the festival in 1961…

In 2002 the Boban Markovic Orkestar completed a 17 date sell-out debut tour in the USA and Canada; this, all in nineteen days. By the beginning of October 2002, they reached their 100th concert, with more to come in the fall. This was also the year young Marko Markovic, the fifteen-year old son of Boban, joined the line-up.

Boban also has another touring project known as the ‘Brotherhood of Brass’ whose line-up includes both the Boban Markovic Orkestar and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All Stars (check “Brotherhood Of Brass” CD on Piranha Musik).

New project called “Il Terrone, El Hebreo e Il Zingaro” started in 2006, Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar joined forces with trumpet maestro Frank London and Italian star Roy Paci, playing music from all three leaders, with great success on summer 2006 tour, on 15 concerts and more than 40.000 people seeing this hurricane.