Balkan Weirdos

The man from Zrenjanin, Aleksandar Stamenković will introduce the audience on this year’s Street Musicians Festival to the greatest smallest instrument – the jaw harp, becoming especially popular in our country after the classic film Ko to tamo peva (Who’s Singin’ Over There, 1980).

– I wish to share the jaw harp’s sound with the citizens of Novi Sad. I have several of them, in various tonalities, and it is my belief that the unique sound of this instrument would be great as a solo act, but also a great fusion with the other street musicians – said Aleksandar. – This will not be the first time I harp with someone else, even with famous musicians, since I already had short performances with Miško Plavi and the bands Dubioza kolektiv and Atheist Rap.

Aleksandar performed in front of the audience in Novi Sad during one of the previous Long Night Of Museums, while in Zrenjanin he is a regular, recording numerous club performances with local bands, as well as being a household name on the Korzo Fest. “Take a look at this short jaw harp clip I made while visiting Novi Sad for Valentine’s Day”, suggests Aleksandar.

And he adds: “It will be a great honor and privilege to perform on the Street Musicians Festival, especially since it is the Festival’s jubilee; to fill in any gaps and empty spaces in the streets, if they exist, otherwise, the plan is to join some virtuosos and make some music on the spot. On the Festival I will be supported by my friend and DJ Ivan Milivojev. He’s a DJ Soundcutter, and will play light dance beats mixed with quotes from the films Ko to tamo peva i Maratonci, and all the while I’ll be doing my solos on the jaw harp. Our project for this occasion will be called Balkan Weirdos!”