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August 21, 2006

Goran Bregovich is known as an unordinary composer creating music for films. However, contrary to his work at the films of Emir Kusturica "Time of Gipsies", "Arizona's Dream", "Underground", the paradox of Bregovich consists in the fact that he placed Yugoslavia, the country, which has disappeared from the political map of the world, in the music atlas of the world. In his wedding-funeral orchestra Bregovich takes inspiration from the works of both Bela Bartok, and Ennio Morricone, he makes up modern multiculture, combining Bulgarian vocal harmonies, rhythms, borrowed from Croatian folklore and Serbian spiritual music, electric pop, elegiac ballads, etc.

Goran Bregovich was born on March 22, 1950 in Sarajevo. Being the sun of his mother who was a Serbian and his father who was a Croat, Goran was learning to play violin until at the age of sixteen when he created his first band Bijelo Dugme ("White Button"). In the band Bregovich wrote music for songs and played the guitar. As he explained it later: "I chose guitar because guitar-players are more a success with girls". The first record of the band came out in 1974. The last one - in 1988. Brega, as he is called in his motherland, was a real rock-star: in the standards of those times, he earned large sums of money with his rock'n'roll. He bought cars, organized luxurious parties, played the fool in a rock'n'roll way. "At that period rock played a great role in our life. That was the only way to have our voices heard and the only way to openly express our protest without the risk of getting to prison :"

At the end of the 80-ies Brega took a time-out in order to write music for the film of Emir Kusturica "Time of Gipsies" and to bring into life his dream of the very childhood: to live in a small house on the shore of the Adriatic sea. However, war in Yugoslavia did not let this as well as many other dreams come true : In 1992 Bregovich was sent away from Sarajevo, he moved to Paris.

There he wrote music for "Time of Gipsies" - the third full-footed film of Kusturica and the first one which brought him the Cannes palm branch for film-producing. Originating from one and the same generation, Bregovich and Kusturica formed a tandem which did not need words to communicate. "Time of Gipsies" was the first film about Gipsies with the dialogues in the Gipsy language.

It would be a mistake, though, to consider that it was Kusturica who brought Bregovich into the world of cinema. Before "Time of Gipsies" Brega wrote music to the comedy of Zdravko Randich "The Cloud of Butterflies" (1977), then came a documentary drama "Personal affairs", and then - a break for 12 years. During that period Brega managed to put out 8 albums more and dissolve the group. In 1989 Ademir Kenovich invited him to record music for the film "Kuduz".

However, Bregovich got famous thanks to the films of Kusturica. After "Time of Gipsies"
there took place the first breakthrough of Goran beyond the boundaries of his motherland. Sound tracks to "Kuduz" and "Time of Gipsies" were united on one record by PolyGram company. In the ratings of "world music" genre, which was being born then, the album held high positions. Bregovich combined Gipsy melos, motives of the Balkan Slavs and rock-rhythmic.

Then Kusturica went to America to teach film-production. There "Arizona's Dream" was born.
For sure, Kusturica invited Brega to cooperate with him in the new film. However, Brega also invited someone - that was James Joel Osterberg, more known as Iggi Pop. Brega used his verified recipe: the Balkans, rock'n'roll. "Most majestic about Kusturica's films is the fact that they show life as it is - full of failures, doubts and unexpected adventures. It was this imperfect and unorganized side of life that I wanted to recreate most of all".

Bregovich got famous at the age of 43. It was then, in 1993, that radio stations of the whole world broadcasted "In A Death Car" performed by the "godfather of punk-rock" Iggi Pop.

After several movies having small budget Bregovich was invited by Patris Shero who was shooting a new version of the novel of Duma-father "Queen Margo". In 1994 the film was awarded a palm branch at Cannes festival.

When in 1995 Kusturica got an idea of a new film, Bregovich joined him at once. That was a famous "Underground», which was awarded a palm branch at the film festival in Cannes.

However, "Underground" was the last fruit of cooperation between Goran and Emir. Kusturica made a public declaration that he would produce no more films. Brega, on the contrary, worked in cinematography more and more. And when Kusturica decided to shoot a new film, he did not invite Brega. Kusturica produced his film "Black cat, white cat" already with another team.


However, Goran did not stop working in cinematography. There have appeared at least four of his collections. Three joint records have come out - one with the Greek George Dalaras, another one with the Turk Sezen Aksu, the third one - with the Pole Kaya. Brega himself has tours all over the world with "Wedding and funeral" orchestra. He plays music of Gypsies as seen by him.

Last year the world-known Balkan composer gave his first concert in Ukraine in Mykhaylivska square in Kyiv. This year in autumn Brega is coming to Lviv as well.

According to the materials of the site www.goranbregovic.co.yu , www.peoples.ru