Asim Brkan
Encyclopedia
Asim Brkan is a Bosnian singer, musician, and artist. Today, he is considered by many music experts to be finest and most complete Bosnian folk singer.
– selling millions of copies and receiving recognition from public and critics as well. However, his potential and vocal skills never matched commercial success. His great hits are: "Jednom sam i ja volio" (widely considered as one of the finest folk songs ever composed in Yugoslavia), "Najljepsu haljinu veceras obuci", "Ko je majko onaj covjek", "Vladaju ljubavi svijetom", "Ne rusi mi srecu nepoznata zeno", "Ema" and so on.
At the start of his career he signed a contract with the record label "Jugoton
", seeded in Zagreb and including musicians like: Dalibor Brun, Zlatko Pejakovic
, Tereza Kesovija
, Frano Lasic
. A few years later, Brkan moved to Belgrade and continued recording for "PGP-RTB
", another major and high-rated music production in Yugoslavia. He worked with many important singers and composers: Zoran Kalezic
, Miroslav Ilic
, Marinko Rokvic
, Aco Stepic, Boki Milosevic, Ljubo Keselj, Sanja Ilic, Rade Vuckovic, Milutin Popovic - Zahar etc. Brkan achieved greatest success in Serbia, but he was almost equally popular in entire region. Beside his commercial songs, he will also be remembered as outstanding performer of Bosnian traditional song - Sevdalinka
. His interpretations of "Sjetuje me majka" and "Iz kamena voda tekla" are inducted in Bosnian National Music Register. He recorded songs for Bosnian and Serbian radio and TV archive, written and composed by Sevdah legends: Jozo Penava, Jovica Petkovic, Mijat Bozovic and Ismet Alajbegovic - Serbo. Brkan has also performed at many prominent music festivals (Sarajevo, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Split, Skopje), traditionally receiving major awards. Most of his career he spent in Belgrade
, capital of Yugoslavia.
At the early stage of war, he realised that situation in Serbia
could be very dangerous for Bosniaks; so he left Belgrade and went with his family to Holland, later Germany
. As a result of Yugoslav war, state collapsed and new music genre, called "Turbo-Folk
" started domination in social and cultural life. As an honest and very emotional man Brkan could not accept "life in jungle" and low-profile music. Although the war was not finished, because of his patriotism, he returned to Bosnia
. After few efforts to come back he eventually retired from his professional career in 1996, at the age of 42. However, he will always be remembered as great singer with unique, subtle and lyrical voice.
In 2009, three decades after his first and biggest hit song "Jednom sam i ja volio", Brkan made a comeback. His original record label, PGP Belgrade, published CD with songs from 1976 to 1990. In the same year, he recorded series of sevdah songs for MP BHRT (Bih radio and television music production). Version of "Mujo kuje" is inducted in National Music Register just five days after recording. A few weeks after CD was published, in RTS TV show, Brkan made his first live performance after 13 years.
Biography
Brkan's career began in 1975, and at his peak (1979–1984) he was one of the biggest stars in YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
– selling millions of copies and receiving recognition from public and critics as well. However, his potential and vocal skills never matched commercial success. His great hits are: "Jednom sam i ja volio" (widely considered as one of the finest folk songs ever composed in Yugoslavia), "Najljepsu haljinu veceras obuci", "Ko je majko onaj covjek", "Vladaju ljubavi svijetom", "Ne rusi mi srecu nepoznata zeno", "Ema" and so on.
At the start of his career he signed a contract with the record label "Jugoton
Jugoton
Jugoton was the largest record label and chain record store in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia based in Zagreb, Socialist Republic of Croatia. After the breakup of Yugoslavia the company continued to work in independent Republic of Croatia under the name Croatia...
", seeded in Zagreb and including musicians like: Dalibor Brun, Zlatko Pejakovic
Zlatko Pejakovic
Zlatko Pejaković is a Croatian singer. He has released over twenty five albums over a career of over thirty years.Pejaković was born in Osijek, and he started his music career in 1967, sang in Korni Grupa band from 1972 to 1974, and began a solo career in the second half of the 1970s.A notable hit...
, Tereza Kesovija
Tereza Kesovija
Tereza Ana Kesovija is an internationally acclaimed Croatian singer, one of the most recognisable figures on the Balkan music scene, renowned for her wide vocal range and operatic style and one of the most important artists of the former Yugoslavia. She also had a very successful career in France...
, Frano Lasic
Frano Lasić
Frano Lasić is a Croatian actor and singer.- Television roles :* "Ruža vjetrova" as Milivoj Matošić * "Dolina sunca" as Toni Herceg * "Ples sa zvijezdama" as Frano Lasić...
. A few years later, Brkan moved to Belgrade and continued recording for "PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB
PGP-RTB was a major record label and chain record store in the former SFR Yugoslavia based in Belgrade, Socialist Republic of Serbia. PGP-RTB was established in 1958...
", another major and high-rated music production in Yugoslavia. He worked with many important singers and composers: Zoran Kalezic
Zoran Kalezic
-Discography:*Uspomene *Moj život je tužna priča *Vratiću se majko *Kako da te zovem, srećo ili tugo *Smiri se, srce, smiri *Moj jarane *Sto puteva i sto staza *Stari druže, prijatelju mom...
, Miroslav Ilic
Miroslav Ilic
Miroslav Ilić , is a popular Serbian folk singer-songwriter. He is known for his powerful vocals and emotional lyrics. Before becoming a musician he took Electrical courses at a University of Skopje...
, Marinko Rokvic
Marinko Rokvic
Marinko Rokvić is a Bosnian Serb folk singer, born in Bosanski Petrovac, popular in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, Aco Stepic, Boki Milosevic, Ljubo Keselj, Sanja Ilic, Rade Vuckovic, Milutin Popovic - Zahar etc. Brkan achieved greatest success in Serbia, but he was almost equally popular in entire region. Beside his commercial songs, he will also be remembered as outstanding performer of Bosnian traditional song - Sevdalinka
Sevdalinka
Sevdalinka is a traditional genre of folk music from Bosnia and Herzegovina.Sevdalinka is popular across the ex-Yugoslavia region, especially in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. The actual composers of many sevdalinkas are unknown....
. His interpretations of "Sjetuje me majka" and "Iz kamena voda tekla" are inducted in Bosnian National Music Register. He recorded songs for Bosnian and Serbian radio and TV archive, written and composed by Sevdah legends: Jozo Penava, Jovica Petkovic, Mijat Bozovic and Ismet Alajbegovic - Serbo. Brkan has also performed at many prominent music festivals (Sarajevo, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Split, Skopje), traditionally receiving major awards. Most of his career he spent in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, capital of Yugoslavia.
At the early stage of war, he realised that situation in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
could be very dangerous for Bosniaks; so he left Belgrade and went with his family to Holland, later Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. As a result of Yugoslav war, state collapsed and new music genre, called "Turbo-Folk
Turbo-folk
Turbo-folk is a popular musical sub-genre that originated in Serbia, the Balkans. Having mainstream popularity in Serbia, although closely associated with Serbian performers, its sound is as popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro...
" started domination in social and cultural life. As an honest and very emotional man Brkan could not accept "life in jungle" and low-profile music. Although the war was not finished, because of his patriotism, he returned to Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. After few efforts to come back he eventually retired from his professional career in 1996, at the age of 42. However, he will always be remembered as great singer with unique, subtle and lyrical voice.
In 2009, three decades after his first and biggest hit song "Jednom sam i ja volio", Brkan made a comeback. His original record label, PGP Belgrade, published CD with songs from 1976 to 1990. In the same year, he recorded series of sevdah songs for MP BHRT (Bih radio and television music production). Version of "Mujo kuje" is inducted in National Music Register just five days after recording. A few weeks after CD was published, in RTS TV show, Brkan made his first live performance after 13 years.
Singles
- "Tvoje oči garave" - Jugoton, 1976
- "Ne ruši mi sreću, nepoznata ženo!" - Jugoton, 1978
- "Jednom sam i ja volio" - Jugoton, 1979
- "Vladaju ljubavi svijetom" - Jugoton, 1980
Albums
- Voli me, grli me - Jugoton, 1981
- Najljepšu haljinu večeras obuci - PGP, 1982
- Majko, prijatelju moj - PGP, 1984
- Ema - PGP, 1985
- Još me ima! - PGP, 1989
- I tako idu dani - PGP, 1990
- Zlata - In Takt Records, 1996
- Best of - PGP, 2009
Sevdalinka
- Sjetuje me majka
- Iz kamena voda tekla
- Evo ovu rumen ružu
- Cudna jada od Mostara grada
- Mujo kuje
- Jednog divnog dana u Mostaru gradu
- Puknute strune
- Za tebe sam vezan grade
- Basča od jasmina