Baklava

With baklava, we get to know the spirited and danceable folk music from Skopje in northern Macedonia: From Skopje to the world! Baklava have been active in the Balkan world music scene for almost 20 years. Originally, they started out as a quartet that mainly interpreted traditional Macedonian folk songs. But soon the musicians developed their own style and composed their pieces themselves. Baklava are open to musical influences from all over the world. The band’s trademark is the numerous instruments: These include the traditional Macedonian long-necked lute tambura, the longitudinal flute kaval and the oriental frame drum daf, but also bagpipes, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, accordion and ukulele. Just to name a few!

In the Macedonian language, the word baklava refers not only to the popular Turkish dessert, but also to the rhombus as a perfect geometric shape. At the same time, in Macedonian tradition, baklava is a symbol of the merging of different cultures.
Baklava have released five albums since 2006. Already with the third album “Me Mankas Mucho” from 2011, the world music influences could no longer be ignored. With the fourth album, “IV”, released in January 2020, the musical boundaries shifted even further: jazz and rock elements made their way in. Baklava also sing in several languages. It’s clear: borders exist to be crossed!

“From Skopje With Love” is the fifth album by Baklava. The band continues its musical journey by not going far, but close, telling stories from Skopje. Baklava revive city legends and revel in childhood memories, colours and flavours. The musicians succeed in combining traditional sounds with modern sounds from all over the world. The band looks to the past and the future and creates sounds that can be described as “progressive world music”.

Baklava today consists of founding member Elena Hristova, who is active as a singer, composer, lyricist, arranger, producer and ukulele player. Dejan Sibinovski is also a co-founder, but also a lyricist and daf and darabuka player. Vadimir Stojcevski plays the bass guitar, Petar Hristov can be heard on clarinet and saxophone, Timko Chichakovski contributes the sound of the oriental cate zither kanun and Dejan Teodosoevski plays cello.