Kal (band)

Kal
Background information
Origin	Valjevo
Genres	World/Romani music
Years active	since 1996
Labels	B92/Asphalt Tango Records
Members	Dragan Ristić, Dejan Jovanovic, Milorad Jevremović, Ivan Kuzev, Miloš Veličković
Past members	Branko Isaković, Aleksandar Andrić

Kal (meaning "black" in Romani) is a world music Romani band from Serbia (originally from Valjevo, now based in Belgrade). They attracted Serbian and worldwide public interest with their eponymous debut album, released in 2006, presenting a blend of traditional Balkan Roma music with influences of Tango, Middle Eastern, Turkish, and even Jamaican influences.

Kal was formed in 1996, and they participated in several compilation album with other Roma, Serbian and world music performers. Their first national TV appearance was in a B92 show Timofejev in New Year's Eve 2006 [1] Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, where they presented their unique style.

During 2006, Kal toured over a hundred concerts worldwide, including most of the European countries and United States. They participated in Sziget Festivals (in 2001, 2002, and 2004), La notte di San Lorenzo in Milano, and 11th European biennale of young artists in Athens, EXIT in Novi Sad in 2004 and 2005, and featured in 2006 World Music Expo, WOMEX. In April 2006, the album reached the first position of World Music Charts Europe and ended up 3rd in the annual list.

The band, particularly the frontman Dragan Ristić, are also politically and socially engaged, fighting the prejudices and Anti-Roma sentiment. Dragan and his brother Dušan founded the Amala Summer School in Serbia, a workshop of Romani language, history, culture heritage, and political power.

Lineup

• Dragan Ristić – Vocals, Guitar,
• Aleksandra Veljković-Vocals
• Milorad Šalajko Jevremovć – Vocals, Violin
• Rade Arsenović – Accordion
• Marko Ćurčić – Bass Guitar
• Dušan Gnjidić – Drums

Discography

Compilations

• Violeta & Kal: Budva '97 (1997, Komuna Belgrade)
• Balkan Ambience (1998, Marko's music, Bulgaria)
• World Rhythms (1998, United One Records, Germany)
• A zenne unnepe (2000, France Cultural Institute)
• Romano Suno (2003, B92 Records)
• Serbia Sounds Global 3 (2003, B92 Records)

Albums

• Kal (2006) (B92 /reissued internationally Asphalt Tango)
• Radio Romanista (2009) (B92 / Asphalt Tango)
• Romology (2013) ARC music (UK)City Records,Multimedia records Serbia),Lou rocked boys (Poland)

References

• Peter Playdon (2004-04-27). "Possibly the best band in the world?". BBC.
• Silja J.A. Talvi (2006-06-15). "Kal (Black) Like Me". In These Times. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-02-13.
• "Koncert grupe Kal" (in Serbian). B92. 2007-01-26.

External links

• Official website (in English)
• Kal at Amala Summer School web site
• Kal on Asphalt Tango, the international record label