Čalgija on Mosaique Vivant

Uyghur and Bosnian music

In 1995, producer San Graatsma invited Wouter Swets to contribute three tracks to the album Mosaique Vivant, which features music from refugees seeking asylum in the Netherlands. These were to become Čalgija’s last recordings. Shortly after they were made, veteran members Tjarko ten Have and Jan Hofmeijer left the group, which had already lost percussionist Jan van Eekeren and lutist/singer Naim Avcı (who featured on Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #2). Swets, Roel Sluis and recent members Joost Rekveld and Kamil Abbas were joined by Yannis Kyriakides and Magnus Robb, and continued as Ensemble Al Farabi, playing a different, more modal, less folkloristic, repertoire. Unfortunately, Mosaique Vivant has never been released as a digital album. The limited-edition CD has for long been out of print; second-hand copies are occasionally available.

Album information

Tracks / total playing time 11:55 / 1:13:20

1. Lokolanza (B.G.B. Musica)
2. Pad Shahe Goeban (Shoorideh)
3. Häšqipičäk (Kamil Abbas & Čalgija)
4. Jolie (King Taky & Afro Roots)
5. Pjesma o Goraždu (Ljiljan)
6. Tamer (Abas & Adel al Shamari)
7. Haj otkako je Banja Luka postala (Abida Ćelović-Kljuno & Čalgija)
8. Isabelle (Didi Mehze)
9. Nella King Taky & Afro Roots)
10. Ebn Alnasheag (Dia Alkenany)
11. Niz Polje Idu, Babo (Abida Ćelović-Kljuno)
12. Rahalti (Abas & Adel al Shamari)
13. Nedaj Se Bosno (Ljiljan)
14. Girip Naxsisi (Kamil Abbas & Wouter Swets)
15. Iranesque

Full album info on Discogs.

30-sec. track samples on Soundcloud.

Credits

Musicians
Wouter Swets (musical director) – accordion [3, 7], synthesizer [14]
Tjarko ten Have – santur [3], bağlama saz [7]
Jan Hofmeijer – clarinet [3, 7]

Roel Sluis – kaval [3], dap [7]
Joost Rekveld – rawap [3], def [7]
Kamil Abbas – vocals [3, 14], ghijak [3, 7, 14]
Abida Ćelović-Kljuno – vocals [7]

Tracks
Tracks 3 and 14 are Uyghur folk songs. Track 7 is an arrangement by Wouter Swets of a traditional Bosnian folk song, which was first released on Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #1. The material was recorded between February 17 and March 17, 1995, by Eric van der Lest and San Graatsma at Daltoon Studio (Eindhoven, Netherlands).

Album
Initiative and artistic management – San Graatsma
Coordination – San Graatsma, Hans Loeffen (O.C. Eindhoven)
Production – Eric van der Lest, San Graatsma
Cover art ‘Mosaique Vivant’ – Zura Kalanda
Photography – Paul Hengsels, Ruud Rogier
Text – Benti Banach (ed.), Wilma Bruynen, Suna Soysüren
Graphic design – Pieter Aarts, Jeroen van Erp (Fabrique, Delft)

Acknowledgements
Mosaique Vivant was realised thanks to the enthousiastic contributions of Eric van der Lest (Daltoon Muziekproducties, Eindhoven), Henk Janssen (Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Eindhoven), Mark Derksen (Markant Studio, Heeze), Muziekvereniging Paraplu, Catrien Wesselingh, Ankie Keultjes, Toon Bressers, Sanja Raljević, Michelle Dean, New Folk Sounds and employees of various refugee centres.

Mosaique Vivant MV695
© ℗ 1995 Mosaique Vivant

Review

Peter van Amstel, De Volkskrant (June 23, 1995; in Dutch): “Revolutionary solo’s on the ghijak”

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Other releases by Čalgija

Üçayak / TouMilou #5, 2021 / album
Unforgotten / PAN 2056 / TouMilou #4, 2020 / album
Vintage Recordings (1964–1966) / TouMilou #2, 2017 / EP
Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #2 / PAN 2007CD, 1991 / album
Music from the Balkans and Anatolia #1 / MU 7425, 1978 / PAN 7425, 2013 / album