Šaban Bajramović

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Šaban Bajramović
Born April 16, 1936(1936-04-16)
Origin Niš, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
Died June 8, 2008
Genre(s) World
Romani
Blues
Occupation(s) Singer, Songwriter, Actor
Instrument(s) Voice
Years active 1964 - 2008
Label(s) Snail Records
Arc Music
World Connectio
Website http://www.sabanbajramovic.com

Šaban Bajramović (Cyrillic: Шабан Бајрамовић) (April 16, 1936 – June 8, 2008) was Serbian Romani musician.

He was born in Niš, Serbia (then Yugoslavia), where he attended primary school for only the first four years. On quitting school, he picked up his musical education on the street and wherever he could, as others of his people have always done.

At 19 he ran away from the army out of love for a girl. As a deserter, he was sentenced to three years prison on the island Goli otok, but as he told the military court they couldn’t hold him for so long as he could survive, they raised his punishment to five and a half years. He survived as he was a good goalkeeper in the prison football team. Because of his nimbleness and speed, they called him "Black Panther". Soon he forced his way into the prison orchestra that played, among other things, jazz (mostly Louis Armstrong, Sinatra, and even John Coltrane) with Spanish and Mexican pieces. He liked to say that he had read 20.000 books in his life, most of them while in prison. He also said that the prison on Goli otok was his university of life where he formed his philosophy, adding that a person who has never been in prison is not a person at all.

After Goli otok, his intensive music career began. He made his first record in 1964 and since then has made 15-20 LPs and about 50 singles. He is believed to have composed 650 compositions. Šaban is also the author of the official Roma people anthem "Djelem, Djelem". With his first major earnings, he bought a white Mercedes and hired two bodyguards. The story says that he soon lost his Mercedes gambling.

In 2008, it was revealed that Bajramović was living impoverished in Niš with serious helth complications and was no longer able to walk. The government of Serbia intervened to provide him with some funds.[1] He died in Niš on June 8, 2008, from a heart attack.[2]


[edit] Quotes

Over the years, his music has been constantly stolen, copied, and imitated by both famous and unknown musicians. Promises and contracts have proven worthless. Actually, he's never been interested in protecting his work. Where others would have earned millions, he's lived as he's always lived: from day to day, making music, going wherever he wants, and not recognising any limits at all. Dragi Šestić - Mostar Sevdah Reunion


It is difficult to stay objective while listening to this masterpiece. The saying goes that no one should go down on one’s knees and bow one’s head before a living human being, but in this case an exception should be made.

Mladen Hlubna, Oslobođenje, Bosnia, December 6, 2001

The Serbian singer is clearly a giant talent, comparable in his own way to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or Mari Boine Persen, someone capable of bringing their music to life with such vivid spirituality that it vaults with ease over the most impenetrable cultural barriers. His voice combines the anguish of rai with the soulfulness of fado - a sort of Balkan gypsy jazz

Andy Gill - The Independent, UK, February 15, 2002

[edit] References

  1. ^ Šaban Bajramović poor and seriously ill, Slobodna Dalmacija
  2. ^ Преминуо певач Шабан Бајрамовић (The singer Šaban Bajramović has died). Радио-телевизиjа Воjводине (Radio-Television of Vojvodina) (2008-06-08). Retrieved on 2008-06-08.

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Bajramović, Šaban
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Singer, Songwriter, Actor
DATE OF BIRTH 1936-4-16
PLACE OF BIRTH Niš, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
DATE OF DEATH June 8, 2008
PLACE OF DEATH