Tamburitza! [coll] – [Arhoolie Productions]

ArtCrimes   5/9/2007   CD, International

[coll] Tamburitza! Hot String Band Music
From the Balkans to America 1910-1950

The tamburitza is a stringed instrument, similar to a mandolin or bazouki, associated with the Balkans, especially Serbia and Croatia. ???Orchestras??? employing various sizes of these instruments were once all the rage among communities of Serb and Croat immigrants in America who clung to the musical traditions of their homelands. This collection presents close to fifty examples of tamburitza music recorded in the US from 1910 to 1950, with some of the earliest selections recorded without use of electricity, before the introduction of microphones. There are many sprightly instrumental dance tunes, one jazz number from 1950, and vocal numbers covering topics like farming, drunkeness, baking, and romance, although not necessarily in that order.