Sarajevo Blues
Encyclopedia
Sarajevo Blues is a book of poetry first published in 1992 during the siege of Sarajevo
by Semezdin Mehmedinović
. Mr. Mehmedinović's book was translated into English by Ammiel Alcalay
in 1998. Mr. Mehmedinović's text was translated into music by Jewlia Eisenberg
in 2004.
CD Jewlia Eisenberg continues her tradition of arranging music and text from the Jewish, African, and Bosnian Diasporas. This time setting the text of Mr. Mehmedinović, Charming Hostess sings of genocide and nationalism, freedom under siege, the nature of evil, and resisting war by any means necessary. The work explores Mr. Mehmedinović's text through a lens that includes Jewish, Balkan and Sufi musical influences.
Siege of Sarajevo
The Siege of Sarajevo is the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare. Serb forces of the Republika Srpska and the Yugoslav People's Army besieged Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War.After Bosnia...
by Semezdin Mehmedinović
Semezdin Mehmedinovic
Semezdin Mehmedinović is a Bosnian writer, filmmaker, and magazine editor.After studying Librarianship and Comparative Literature in Sarajevo, he worked as an editor of "Lica" and "Valter" magazines, which served as a voice of opposition to the ruling Communist regime...
. Mr. Mehmedinović's book was translated into English by Ammiel Alcalay
Ammiel Alcalay
Ammiel Alcalay is an American poet, scholar, critic, translator, and prose stylist. Born and raised in Boston, he is a first-generation American, son of Sephardic Jews from São Tomé and Príncipe...
in 1998. Mr. Mehmedinović's text was translated into music by Jewlia Eisenberg
Jewlia Eisenberg
Jewlia Eisenberg is an American composer. As founder and bandleader of Charming Hostess she coined the term "Nerdy-Sexy-Commie-Girly" to describe her genre of music which spans an eclectic range of styles....
in 2004.
The Book of Poetry by Semezdin Mehmedinović
In "Sarajevo Blues", Semezdin Mehmedinović tells the story of a city under siege. The poet lived in the city and tells the story of resistance to nationalistic fervor. This book was part of the Biblioteka series, which gave a forum to Bosnian writers who were either living under siege like Mr. Mehmedinović or living in exile. The Washington Post described the book of poetry as "widely considered here to be the best piece of writing to emerge from this besieged capital since Bosnia's war erupted".The CD by Charming Hostess
In this Charming HostessCharming Hostess
Charming Hostess is a band that grew out of the Oakland avant-rock scene in the mid-1990s.-Current work:Today, the music primarily springs from three women with an emphasis in the body—voices and vocal percussion, handclaps and heartbeats, sex-breath and silence. The work grows from diaspora...
CD Jewlia Eisenberg continues her tradition of arranging music and text from the Jewish, African, and Bosnian Diasporas. This time setting the text of Mr. Mehmedinović, Charming Hostess sings of genocide and nationalism, freedom under siege, the nature of evil, and resisting war by any means necessary. The work explores Mr. Mehmedinović's text through a lens that includes Jewish, Balkan and Sufi musical influences.