Ivo Papasov & His Wedding Band

Bulgarian legend 

Clarinettist Ivo Papasov plays to his audience like a snake charmer. One moment restrained and hushed, the next exploding with a barrage of sound in which the uneven time signatures come fast and furious. He’s already a living legend in his native country. Ask a random Bulgarian to name just one musician from his own country, and the answer will almost certainly be Ivo Papasov. Not bad for someone who belongs to a minority in at least two senses: Ivo (actually Ibo, short for Ibrahim) has Turkish roots and there’s also Roma blood flowing through his veins.

Cultural mix

Svatbarska muzika (wedding music) is a serious matter in Bulgaria, complete with an annual festival in Stambolovo. But it’s really all about the weddings, because they often amount to days spent playing music and partying with no expense spared! The genre, now popular right across the southern Balkans, arose in the 1960s through the mingling of Bulgarian, Turkish and Macedonian styles with gypsy music. Papasov added elements of jazz to the mix. Since producer Joe Boyd furnished him with an international breakthrough in the late 1980s, Ivo has attracted admirers all over the world, among them the late Frank Zappa. Incidentally, Papasov’s first Dutch performance in 1989 was also at Music Meeting!

Line-up

Ivo Papasov - Clarinet

Maria Karafizieva - Vocals

Nenko Tsachev - Kaval (flute)

Ateshgan Yuseinov - Electric guitar

Nesho Neshev - Accordion

Vasil Mitev - Keyboards, gadulka (vedel)

Salif Ali - Drums