Šaban Bajramovic
Encyclopedia
Šaban Bajramović was a Serbia
n-Romani musician.
where he attended primary school for only the first four years. On quitting school, he picked up his musical education on the street.
When he was 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 could not 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 sometimes John Coltrane
) with Spanish
and Mexican pieces
.
After Goli otok, his intensive music career began. He made his first record in 1964. He is believed to have composed 650 compositions.
In 2008, it was revealed that Bajramović was living impoverished in Niš
with serious health complications and was no longer able to walk. The government of Serbia
intervened to provide him with some funds, 10 000 euros. He died in Niš on June 8, 2008, from a heart attack.
Andy Gill - The Independent
, UK, February 15, 2002
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...
n-Romani musician.
Biography
He was born in NišNiš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
where he attended primary school for only the first four years. On quitting school, he picked up his musical education on the street.
When he was 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
Goli otok
Goli otok is an island off the northern Adriatic coast, located between Rab's northeastern shore and the mainland, in what is today Croatia's Primorje-Gorski Kotar county. The island is barren and uninhabited...
, but as he told the military court they could not 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
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
(mostly Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Sinatra, and sometimes John Coltrane
John Coltrane
John William Coltrane was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Working in the bebop and hard bop idioms early in his career, Coltrane helped pioneer the use of modes in jazz and later was at the forefront of free jazz...
) with Spanish
Music of Spain
The Music of Spain has a long history and has played an important part in the development of western music. It has had a particularly strong influence upon Latin American music. The music of Spain is often associated abroad with traditions like flamenco and the classical guitar but Spanish music...
and Mexican pieces
Music of Mexico
The music of Mexico is very diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. It has been influenced by a variety of cultures, most notably indigenous Mexican and European, since the Late Middle Ages...
.
After Goli otok, his intensive music career began. He made his first record in 1964. He is believed to have composed 650 compositions.
In 2008, it was revealed that Bajramović was living impoverished in Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
with serious health complications and was no longer able to walk. The government of Serbia
Government of Serbia
Officially the Government of the Republic of Serbia is the executive branch of government in Serbia.-Current government:The current government was elected on 7 July 2008 by the majority vote in the National Assembly of Serbia and restructured on 14 March 2011...
intervened to provide him with some funds, 10 000 euros. He died in Niš on June 8, 2008, from a heart attack.
Quotes
Dragi Šestić - Mostar Sevdah ReunionMostar Sevdah Reunion
Mostar Sevdah Reunion is a musical ensemble from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina playing almost exclusively sevdalinka and Roma/gypsy music. The band is composed of experienced musicians and often collaborates with renowned musicians in the field of gypsy music: they made two albums with Šaban...
Andy Gill - The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, UK, February 15, 2002