A genius on his sax (Balada - Bulgarian Wedding Music - Yuri Yunakov)

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Balada - Bulgarian Wedding Music - Yuri Yunakov
Date:	03/04/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A lot of variation in styles and speeds

Disadvantages: None

I don't know a great deal about saxophone, in fact I'd struggle to tell you one scale from another but what I can tell you is that Yuri Yunakov's saxophone playing is extremely fun to listen to. Upbeat and full of ingenuity - the style known as "Bulgarian Wedding Music" is full of oriental flavour with a notoriously Turkish sound.

It is hard to select a favourite track but the self-titled balada seems to do the trick for me and is an awesome introduction to a highly talented musician and his band mates. Yunakov was once described as a genius by Frank Zappa and whilst not everyone would want to call their child Dweezel, I'm sure few people would disagree with him on this.

With complicated and quick time changes in the pace of the music through Yunakov's saxophone playing, we have tracks with an unexpected sound. Every minute brings a new surprise, even if you've listened to it numerous times! Even when you know it off by heart, you still marvel at the melody produced. I don't go for this being all out Bulgarian and it seems nicely mixed with some American jazz which has probably worn off on Yuri during the years he has spent there. Uniquely perhaps, a few tracks on this album have US female vocalists (ableit experts in Bulgaria and folk music) who really manage to nail it.

This is a very jolly album that you will struggle to resist to dance to.

1. Balada
2. Iskam Ja Mamo
3. Bavna melodija/Ruchenitsa
4. Horo Se Igrae
5. Trakiisko Horo
6. Astargya O Horo
7. Smeseno Horo
8. Slunchitse, Milo Mamino
9. Arabski Kjuchek
10.Tudorka Dari tucheshe/Ivan Rada Progovarja
11. Mari Gulube
12. Buchimish

Summary: Excellent album