Cacophony of Serbian Soul

I didn't know you could play trumpet that way - said Miles Davis, master of jazz trumpet, when he visited Guca in south-western Serbia. From nearly fifty years this small town hosts Dragacevski sabor - the biggest trumpet festival in the world. Every year more than 150 000 visitors from all over the world enjoy themselfs with the music of gypsy brass bands including the band of Boban Markovic, who is considered as the greatest trumpet player from Balkans. During five days and nights Guca...
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I didn't know you could play trumpet that way - said Miles Davis, master of jazz trumpet, when he visited Guca in south-western Serbia. From nearly fifty years this small town hosts Dragacevski sabor - the biggest trumpet festival in the world. Every year more than 150 000 visitors from all over the world enjoy themselfs with the music of gypsy brass bands including the band of Boban Markovic, who is considered as the greatest trumpet player from Balkans. During five days and nights Guca resounds with cacophony of trumpets and other wind instruments. For many Serbs festival is also a great opportunity to manifest their patriotism, sometimes in a very nationalistic way. Former serbian prime minister Vojislav Kostunica, who visited Guca in 2006 said: - Those that can't understand and love Guca, can't understand Serbia.

Copyright Michal Kowalski / Babel Images
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