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Tania Lukic-Marx now gives the CD reviews a rating system. This system includes a number of stars at the completion of the review, for example 5 stars (*****) means the CD was "brilliant" or "excellent", 4 stars = impressive, 3 stars = good, 2 stars = satisfactory and 1 star = didn't impress.

Title: Sarakina
Artist:
Jacek Grekow (accordion, bagpipe & kaval), Jan Mlejnek (clarinet & tambura) and Bartosz Mlejnek (double bass). Support: Weronika Grozdew (vocals) and Bartosz Zwolski (tarambuka & tapan)

Supplied by: Jacek Grekow
Review date: December 13th 2002
Tracks:
1. Monostyr
2. Ohrid
3. Makedonsko
4. Morava
5. Daichovo
6. Rofinka
7. Plovdivska rachenitsa
8. Komitsko
9. Samuil
10. Dilmana
11. Kyrillikata 3
12. Sarakina 2

CD Cover This is one of the recordings where the accordion is not the main instrument but is an equal part of the ensemble (trio), consisting of Jacek Grekow (accordion, bagpipe & kaval), Jan Mlejnek (clarinet & tambura) and Bartosz Mlejnek (double bass). Jacek was born in Bialystok (Poland) and graduated at the Vienna Conservatory. Jan and Bartosz are also Polish and are students of the Music Academy "F. Chopin" in Warsaw.

Thematically, this recording is based on folk melodies and rhythms of the south Balkans: Macedonia and Bulgaria. The use of authentic instruments and vocals also contributes to the originality of the music and the region it comes from.

After hearing this recording, I was totally fascinated with the ability of the musicians to bring the genre of traditional folk music to the form of sophisticated concert performance. It takes musicians of a high professionalism to be able to do that. All the musicians appearing on this recording are that - professionals in what they do. Their professionalism covers all the areas of this recording, beginning with the choice of the pieces, marvellous arrangements, superior performance, excellent sound quality and engineering, and ending with the very good quality and design of the CD cover.

I found it quite amazing how this ensemble brought to the concert stage the genre of the traditional folk, making it a 12 track musical story, appealing to anybody regardless of their musical background.

LOVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING! *****