I've never actually been anywhere near Bulgaria, or any of the European continent for that matter. But there are quite a few artists in the genre that I would like to have seen perform live, including some of the artists I've posted here and in similar topics on some other forums (including another popular headphone forum, called head-fi).
These are some of the more mainstream chalga artists, and groups of performers that have probably been the most influential in shaping my interest and appreciation for the genre. And I believe most are still active, except where noted.
Most of the above have only moderately high-pitched vocals (except for Toni Storaro, Galin, Boris Dali and Iliyan who sing in more baritone voices). These are some of the female artists with the highest pitched voices though. So use/listen to them at your own peril...
Really appreciate this, it gives me a lot to go on. Looking forward to my trip, it will be my second time in Bulgaria, I have travelled the Balkans extensively even lived in Serbia for a few long stints. But most of my nostalgia for folk is connected to diasporan Balkan parties in Australia hence my tendency to post old tracks.
Anyway, thanks again. I will analyze and look through your recommendations.
But, below I have posted an extreme example of what you might call natural falsetta of live performances that have an extreme control of their vocal cords, a full entertainment factor which involves like you said the tale. The first has superb microphone control and has included the falsetta monologue midway with a full ballad being sung like a theatre which is essentially called mawal or mugham a type of music that recites the ballad at the beginning but is also a term used for falsetta in the Middle east. The second is my all time favorite singer Paola Foka who hits those croaky tones with ease without any processing and the third an Arabic singer who sings traditional mawal in a traditional sense. These are more traditional and much less poppy in nature but great to analyze for people who respect music, instruments and all brought together superbly the baglama is played unbelievably. Probably the most renowned singers in middle east region but of course there are others which I couldn't find performances on this level so I kept the vid to the 3 singers.
There are undoubtedly also many good bands (or "orks" as they're called, which is short for orchestra) that also play a mix of folk and pop-folk, which are probably also worth checking out. Sasha Rico & Rico Band is probably one of the more well-known of these kinds of groups. But there are many others that I'm less well acquainted with, that will also perform with some of the above list of artists.
During the pandemic alot of artists also started releasing mashups of their older tunes (which is not such a bad way to familiarize yourself with some of their work). And another male artist I became aware of as a result of those was Jony (aka Jony Iliev & the Band). I haven't listened to alot of his stuff yet, but maybe some others here would like some of it.
Gr8 stuff. thanks for the tip.I recently discovered Turkish singer Gaye Su Akyol. Some of the best music I've heard of any genre for a while. Great voice, intelligent turkish psych-folk with some great arrangements and some fine guitar/oud picking. What's not to like!?
In other videos available on YT the guitarist plays an oud. And yes, I do know what it is. I'm even in the planning stages of building one ... ;-)In the 1st of your 3 vids, in the instrumental solo, she uses a buzuq
Nice! Good luck with the tuning. Double courses and friction pegs are are not for the faint hearted.I bought myself an oud for xmas last year. This one. My ambition is to one day get it in tune.
If you make it with machine tuners then I may want to buy it from you.In other videos available on YT the guitarist plays an oud. And yes, I do know what it is. I'm even in the planning stages of building one ... ;-)
Lol! Don't hold your breath. I build slowly and I have couple of guitars to finish first ... ;-)If you make it with machine tuners then I may want to buy it from you.
I don't hold my breath even when I'm tuning a 0.012 steel string up to G4.Lol! Don't hold your breath. I build slowly and I have couple of guitars to finish first ... ;-)
Interesting. New to me. This suggests they might work https://perfectionpegs.twofold.com.au/oud-perfection-pegs-11/I think guitar style metal machines would be too heavy on an oud - not to mention look wrong. Perhaps Planetary Pegs could be made to work?
Yes, they explicitly mention ouds on the sales page. Might be worthwhile getting in touch with them ...This suggests they might work https://perfectionpegs.twofold.com.au/oud-perfection-pegs-11/